• Yanfang Guo, Malia S Q Murphy, Erica Erwin, Romina Fakhraei, Daniel J Corsi, Ruth Rennicks White, Alysha L J Harvey, Laura M Gaudet, Mark C Walker, Shi Wu Wen, and Darine El-Chaâr.
• Better Outcomes Registry & Network Ontario (Guo, Erwin, Corsi, Walker); OMNI Research Group (Guo, Murphy, Erwin, Fakhraei, Corsi, White, Harvey, Walker, Wen, El-Chaâr), Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute (Guo, Fakhraei, Corsi); Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Newborn Care (White, Wen, Walker, El-Chaâr), The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ont.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Gaudet), Kingston Health Sciences Centre; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Gaudet), Queen's University, Kingston, Ont.
• CMAJ. 2021 May 3; 193 (18): E634E644E634-E644.

BackgroundData on the effect of cesarean delivery on maternal request (CDMR) on maternal and neonatal outcomes are inconsistent and often limited by inadequate case definitions and other methodological issues. Our objective was to evaluate the trends, determinants and outcomes of CDMR using an intent-to-treat approach.MethodsWe designed a population-based retrospective cohort study using data on low-risk pregnancies in Ontario, Canada (April 2012-March 2018). We assessed temporal trends and determinants of CDMR. We estimated the relative risks for component and composite outcomes used in the Adverse Outcome Index (AOI) related to planned CDMR compared with planned vaginal delivery using generalized estimating equation models. We compared the Weighted Adverse Outcome Score (WAOS) and the Severity Index (SI) across planned modes of delivery using analysis of variance.ResultsOf 422 210 women, 0.4% (n = 1827) had a planned CDMR and 99.6% (n = 420 383) had a planned vaginal delivery. The prevalence of CDMR remained stable over time at 3.9% of all cesarean deliveries. Factors associated with CDMR included late maternal age, higher education, conception via in vitro fertilization, anxiety, nulliparity, being White, delivery at a hospital providing higher levels of maternal care and obstetrician-based antenatal care. Women who planned CDMR had a lower risk of adverse outcomes than women who planned vaginal delivery (adjusted relative risk 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33 to 0.53). The WAOS was lower for planned CDMR than planned vaginal delivery (mean difference -1.28, 95% CI -2.02 to -0.55). The SI was not statistically different between groups (mean difference 3.6, 95% CI -7.4 to 14.5).InterpretationRates of CDMR have not increased in Ontario. Planned CDMR is associated with a decreased risk of short-term adverse outcomes compared with planned vaginal delivery. Investigation into the long-term implications of CDMR is warranted.© 2021 CMA Joule Inc. or its licensors.

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