ACHIEVING CAESAREAN SECTION RATES BELOW 15%: LESSONS FROM AN
OBSERVATIONAL STUDY USING THE ROBSON CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM IN A SINGLE
TERTIARY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN FRANCE
Abstract
Objective : To describe trends of delivery by caesarean section
(CS), using the Robson classification and to assess maternal and
perinatal outcomes accordingly. Design : Retrospective
observational study. Setting : A tertiary university hospital
in Besançon, France. Population : All births at ≥ 22 weeks of
gestation from January 1st, 2017, to December 31st, 2023.
Methods : All deliveries were classified using Robson Ten Group
Classification System. Main outcome measures : Relative size,
CS rate and contribution to the overall CS rate were described for each
group. Secondary outcomes were rates of adverse maternal and perinatal
outcomes. Results: A total of 19 082 women were included. The
7-year mean CS rate was 14.4% (n=2753). A significant reduction of the
overall CS rate from 15.4% to 13.0% (95%CI 0.5-4.2%) was observed
between 2020 to 2023. This reduction was related to a significant
reduction in overall CS rate among group 5 and an important trend
towards reduction in group 6. An increase in induction rates was
observed. Maternal and perinatal outcomes were stable. A significant
reduction of neonatal transfer was observed between 2020 and 2023
(1.4%; 95%CI 0.5-2.3%). Conclusions : CS rate below 15% on
average was achieved without increasing maternal and neonatal
complications in a tertiary university hospital. Potential target
interventions include a better management of women with a previous CS
and breech deliveries. Funding : Manon Vouga is supported by
Max Cloëtta foundation and Vaudoise Academic Society. Keywords
: Caesarean section, maternal and neonatal outcomes, Robson
classification, Ten-Group Classification System, France