[Variations in frequency of Cesarean sections in Denmark]

An investigation is presented on the basis of the medical register of births concerning all primiparae who were delivered of a liveborn singleton infant in 1982 and 1986. On the basis of the section on complications in the notification of the births, we have made a subdivision into four "approximate indications". We find a variation in frequencies of Caesarean section from 9.7% (1982) to 17.1% (1986) between the various counties and an increase during the period investigated of 19%. 50% of the increase occurred in the group termed "other causes", 25% in the group of foetal distress and 25% in the group of dystocia. The group of breech presentations is, by and large, unchanged in Denmark as a whole but great differences are present between counties. This register investigation does not permit the possibility of deeper analysis of the reasons for the variations.