Attitudes of Singapore women toward cesarean and vaginal deliveries

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess the attitude, knowledge, and expectations of Asian pregnant women toward cesarean and vaginal deliveries. METHODS: Written questionnaires were given to pregnant women attending the National University Hospital antenatal clinics, and 160 responses were tabulated and analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: The participation rate was 65% and 50% of the respondents were Chinese, 20% Indian, 21% Malay, 2% White, and 9.2% Other. The median age was 31 years, and approximately 43% were primiparas. Only 3.7% of them would prefer an elective cesarean delivery, and although 50% had friends or relatives who requested one, only 3% felt that this influenced their preference. The most common reasons for choosing a cesarean delivery were avoiding labor pains and lowering the risk of fetal distress. When asked which modality they would recommend to their friends, only 2% expressed that they would recommend cesarean delivery; however, 71% stated that women should have the right to request a cesarean delivery. Awareness of complications arising from vaginal and cesarean deliveries was generally low and related to the frequency of these complications. There was no significant correlation between demographic characteristics and maternal preference for mode of delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Asian women largely prefer a vaginal delivery, and their attitude toward cesarean delivery on demand is comparable with that of Western women. Cultural or ethnic differences are unlikely to affect maternal preference for cesarean delivery in Singapore women.