[Data from the Bavarian perinatal survey on the problem of the incidence of cesarean section]

Data are presented on caesarean section rates during the first five-year period of the Bavarian Perinatal Study (BPE 1982-1986), comprising 450,000 births. In order to identify long-term trends, statistical studies from the Munich Perinatal Study (MPS) dating back to 1975 were continued in the same Munich hospitals through to 1982-1984. The results may be broken down as follows: 1. The overall rate of caesarean sections has been increasing, steadily, reaching 15% in the 1986 BPE. No clear levelling-off is evident yet. 2. The highest rates of caesarean sections and vaginal operative deliveries were found in university hospitals. Spontaneous deliveries occurred least often in university hospitals (about 70%), and most frequently in the larger country and private hospitals (77-79%). Smaller externally staffed private hospitals had about the same rate of vaginal-operative deliveries as university hospitals. 3. Following caesarean section, postoperative complications prompted a three- to sixfold higher rate of maternal transfer to other hospitals over that following spontaneous delivery. 4. As maternal age increases, so does the rate of caesarean section for primiparae. Nevertheless, recent years have witnessed a levelling-off for women over 34 years of age. No trend toward further increase is evident for this age group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)