Cesarean-section Rates in Brazil from 2014 to 2016: Cross-sectional Analysis Using the Robson Classification Translated title: Taxas de cesariana no Brasil de 2014 a 2016: Análise transversal utilizando a classificação de Robson

Abstract

Objective  To obtain cesarean-section (CS) rates according to the Robson Group Classification in five different regions of Brazil.

Methods  A descriptive epidemiological study using data from secondary birth records from the Computer Science Department of the Brazilian Unified Health System (Datasus, in Portuguese) between January 1st, 2014, and December 31st, 2016, including all live births in Brazil.

Results  The overall rate of CS was of 56%. The sample was divided into 11 groups, and vaginal births were more frequent in groups 1 (53.6%), 3 (80.0%) and 4 (55.1%). The highest CS rates were found in groups 5 (85.7%), 6 (89.5%), 7 (85.2%) and 9 (97.0%). The overall CS rate per region varied from 46.2% in the North to 62.1% in the Midwest. Group 5 was the largest obstetric population in the South, Southeast and Midwest, and group 3 was the largest in the North and Northeast. Group 5 contributed the most to the overall CS rate, accounting for 30.8% of CSs.

Conclusion  Over half of the births in Brazil were cesarean sections. The Midwest had the highest CS rates, while the North had the lowest. The largest obstetric population in the North and in the Northeast was composed of women in group 3, while in the South, Southeast and Midwest it was group 5. Among all regions, the largest contribution to the overall CS rate was from group 5.

Resumo

Objetivo  Identificar as taxas de cesárea de acordo com a Classificação de Robson nas cinco regiões do Brasil.

Métodos  Estudo epidemiológico descritivo utilizando dados secundários obtidos do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (Datasus) entre 1° de janeiro de 2014 e 31 de dezembro de 2016, incluindo todos os nascidos vivos no Brasil.

Resultados  Cesáreas representaram 56% de todos os nascimentos. A amostra foi dividida em 11 grupos, e partos vaginais foram mais frequentes nos grupos 1 (53,6%), 3 (80,0%) e 4 (55,1%). As maiores taxas de cesárea foram encontradas nos grupos 5 (85,7%), 6 (89,5%), 7 (85,2%) e 9 (97,0%). A taxa geral de cesárea variou de 46,2% no Norte a 62,1% no Centro-Oeste. O grupo 5 representou a maior população obstétrica no Sul, Sudeste e Centro-Oeste, e o grupo 3, no Norte e Nordeste. O grupo 5 contribuiu mais para a taxa geral de cesárea, totalizando 30,8%.

Conclusão  Mais da metade dos nascimentos no Brasil ocorreu por cesárea. O Centro-Oeste apresentou a maior taxa, e o Norte, a mais baixa. A maior população obstétrica no Norte e no Nordeste foi o grupo 3, enquanto no Sul, Sudeste e Centro-Oeste foi o grupo 5. Entre todas as regiões, a maior contribuição para a taxa geral de cesárea foi do grupo 5.