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Increased obstetric activity: a new meaning to "induced labour"?
1Institute of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
|March 1, 1989
Summary
Obstetric activity, including interventions, has significantly increased in Denmark without improving perinatal mortality rates. This rise may stem from new technology and a greater tendency to intervene in "at risk" pregnancies.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Health Services Research
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Danish obstetric activity has substantially increased since 1960.
- Hospital admissions, complicated delivery diagnoses, and major interventions have all risen significantly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the reasons behind the escalating obstetric activity in Denmark over the past 25 years.
- To investigate the relationship between increased intervention rates and perinatal mortality trends.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of national obstetric data over a 25-year period.
- Comparison of intervention rates with perinatal mortality trends.
Main Results:
- Despite a marked increase in obstetric interventions (from 4% to 22%), there is no evidence of further improvement in decreasing perinatal mortality rates.
- Obstetric activity has risen without a corresponding increase in staffing levels.
Conclusions:
- The rise in obstetric activity may be attributed to increased availability of new technology, declining delivery numbers, and a greater tendency to intervene in "at risk" pregnancies.
- The theory of supplier-induced demand, potentially driven by increased patient expectations for intervention, warrants further investigation.