Opinions and considerations of obstetrics and gynecology specialists on cesarean section: A qualitative study in Sakarya province

Aim: While the ideal cesarean section rate should be 10-15% among all births, the cesarean section rate is increasing at an uncontrollable rate both in the world and in Turkey. In this study, we aimed to determine the reasons and solution suggestions for cesarean section rates in Turkey, based on the opinions of Gynecologists and Obstetricians. Methods: Qualitative research method and phenomenological approach were used as the research design in this study. Participants were selected by convenience sampling method among Gynecology and Obstetrics specialists who resided in Sakarya/Turkey, worked as a interviews between 01.02.2020 and 01.09.2020 and thematic content analysis was performed. Results: As a result of in-depth interviews, 51 categories, 12 sub-themes from the categories and three themes from the sub-themes were created from the coded data. The three themes that emerged were: Causes of high cesarean rate, solutions for the increase in cesarean delivery rate, possible outcomes of cesarean delivery. Conclusions: Since the factors affecting the cesarean section rate are multifaceted and interrelated, this versatility and correlation should be taken into account when taking measures to reduce the rates. We need to focus especially on cesarean births performed without medical indication, which has a large share in the increase in cesarean section rates.