Increased cesarean section rates and emerging patterns of health insurance in Shanghai, China

This study examined the trend in cesarean section deliveries and the factors associated with it in the Minhang District of Shanghai, China.

A representative sample of the members of 2716 households in the district were interviewed in the fall of 1993. This study analyzed the data from 1959 married women of reproductive age with at least one live birth.

During the past 3 decades, the proportion of infants born by cesarean section increased from 4.7% to 22.5%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the highest cesarean section rate, which occurred in the most recent period of 1988 through 1993, was associated with form of medical payment, self-reported complications during pregnancy, higher birthweight, and maternal age. Government insurance pays all costs of cesarean sections and accounted for the highest proportion of the cesarean section rate.

The high rates of cesarean sections in China are surprising given the lack of the factors that usually lead to cesarean sections. The increasing cesarean section rates may be an early indication that emerging forms of health insurance and fee-for-service payments to physicians will lead to an excessive emphasis on costly, high-technology medical care in China.