Caesarean or normal vaginal delivery: overview of physicians' self-preference and suggestion to patients.

PURPOSE: Caesarean delivery in the absence of any medical indications has become a major issue of concern among the women's health professionals. The patients' choice of caesarean is influenced by several factors predominating by their physicians' suggestion. Our objective was to examine factors that may affect the physicians' responses to patients consulting the mode of delivery. METHODS: Questionnaires were posted to 1,000 female obstetricians and gynaecologists practicing in Tehran in winter 2007. Questionnaires included demographic information of physicians and their history of pregnancy and delivery. Finally, they were asked their preferred mode of delivery and the mode they suggest when being consulted by parturient. RESULTS: From 1,000 physicians, 785 cases (78.5%) responded to the survey. The rate of responses in favour of suggesting normal vaginal delivery, Caesarean Section and painless vaginal delivery was 60.8, 25.6 and 13.6%, respectively. There was a correlation between the suggested and the preferred mode of delivery, it means that the physicians mostly suggested their self-preferred mode of delivery to their patients. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians normally suggest to their patients as the safe mode of delivery what they prefer for themselves. This preference and subsequent suggestion is influenced by different factors including their age, marital status, and previous modes of delivery. As conclusion, it is inferred that informing a physician to choose the right mode of delivery for herself leads to better suggestions to the patients.