Recent Lifestyle Parameters Are Associated with Increasing Caesarean Section Rates among Singleton Term Births in Austria (2025)

Kirchengast, S., & Hartmann, B. W. (2019). Recent Lifestyle Parameters Are Associated with Increasing Caesarean Section Rates among Singleton Term Births in Austria. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(1), [14]. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16010014

Kirchengast, Sylvia ; Hartmann, Beda W. / Recent Lifestyle Parameters Are Associated with Increasing Caesarean Section Rates among Singleton Term Births in Austria. in: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019 ; Band 16, Nr. 1.

@article{4f133636d0974d0ebeb0a428c8fbee84,

title = "Recent Lifestyle Parameters Are Associated with Increasing Caesarean Section Rates among Singleton Term Births in Austria",

abstract = "Caesarean section (CS) rates are increasing in many parts of the world, recently reaching about 20% worldwide. The postmodern lifestyle characteristics, obesity and delayed childbirth, have been put forward as the main reasons for high CS rates. The present study tests the association patterns between lifestyle parameters and delivery mode on a data set of 3786 births in Vienna between 2005 and 2013. The focus is exclusively on singleton term births. As well as maternal age, prepregnancy weight status, maternal body height and gestational weight gain, newborn size (birth weight, birth length, and head circumference), Apgar scores and child presentation were recorded. Planned as well as emergency CS rates increased significantly (p < 0.0001) with increasing maternal age and decreasing maternal body height. Emergency CS rates, however, increased significantly with increasing maternal prepregnancy weight status and gestational weight gain. An especially high risk of emergency CS occurred among four groups of mothers: those older than 40 years (OR = 2.68; 95% CI 1.87–3.86), those who were obese (OR = 1.44; 95% 1.15–1.81), those experiencing a gestational weight gain above 15 kg (OR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.13–1.54), and those shorter than 160 cm (OR = 1.216; 95% CI 1.02–1.45). Emergency CS rates were significantly higher among low-weight newborns (<2500 g) and macrosome newborns (>4000 g) than among normal-weight newborns. Furthermore, breech presentation was associated with an increased risk of caesarean delivery (OR 6.97; 95% CI 6.09–7.96). Logistic regression analyses reveal that maternal age, maternal body height, prepregnancy weight status, gestational weight gain, birth weight, newborn head circumference and child presentation show an independent, highly significant association with caesarean delivery. We conclude that maternal and newborn characteristics typical of recent lifestyle patterns, such as advanced maternal age, obesity, increased gestational weight gain and increased newborn size, are highly significantly associated with increased emergency CS rates. Moreover, maternal shortness and breech presentation are risk factors for emergency CS.",

keywords = "DELIVERY, EUROPE, GESTATIONAL WEIGHT-GAIN, HEIGHT, INDEPENDENT RISK-FACTOR, MATERNAL OBESITY, OUTCOMES, PERSPECTIVES, PREGNANCY, WOMEN, caesarean section rates, child presentation, delivery mode, macrosomia, maternal age, maternal height, newborn size, obesity, recent environment, Caesarean section rates, Recent environment, Child presentation, Obesity, Maternal height, Macrosomia, Maternal age, Delivery mode, Newborn size",

author = "Sylvia Kirchengast and Hartmann, {Beda W.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.",

year = "2019",

month = jan,

doi = "10.3390/ijerph16010014",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

journal = "International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health",

issn = "1661-7827",

publisher = "MDPI AG",

number = "1",

}

Kirchengast, S & Hartmann, BW 2019, 'Recent Lifestyle Parameters Are Associated with Increasing Caesarean Section Rates among Singleton Term Births in Austria', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Jg. 16, Nr. 1, 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16010014

Recent Lifestyle Parameters Are Associated with Increasing Caesarean Section Rates among Singleton Term Births in Austria. / Kirchengast, Sylvia; Hartmann, Beda W.

in: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Band 16, Nr. 1, 14, 01.2019.

Veröffentlichungen: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift › Artikel › Peer Reviewed

TY - JOUR

T1 - Recent Lifestyle Parameters Are Associated with Increasing Caesarean Section Rates among Singleton Term Births in Austria

AU - Kirchengast, Sylvia

AU - Hartmann, Beda W.

N1 - Publisher Copyright:© 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2019/1

Y1 - 2019/1

N2 - Caesarean section (CS) rates are increasing in many parts of the world, recently reaching about 20% worldwide. The postmodern lifestyle characteristics, obesity and delayed childbirth, have been put forward as the main reasons for high CS rates. The present study tests the association patterns between lifestyle parameters and delivery mode on a data set of 3786 births in Vienna between 2005 and 2013. The focus is exclusively on singleton term births. As well as maternal age, prepregnancy weight status, maternal body height and gestational weight gain, newborn size (birth weight, birth length, and head circumference), Apgar scores and child presentation were recorded. Planned as well as emergency CS rates increased significantly (p < 0.0001) with increasing maternal age and decreasing maternal body height. Emergency CS rates, however, increased significantly with increasing maternal prepregnancy weight status and gestational weight gain. An especially high risk of emergency CS occurred among four groups of mothers: those older than 40 years (OR = 2.68; 95% CI 1.87–3.86), those who were obese (OR = 1.44; 95% 1.15–1.81), those experiencing a gestational weight gain above 15 kg (OR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.13–1.54), and those shorter than 160 cm (OR = 1.216; 95% CI 1.02–1.45). Emergency CS rates were significantly higher among low-weight newborns (<2500 g) and macrosome newborns (>4000 g) than among normal-weight newborns. Furthermore, breech presentation was associated with an increased risk of caesarean delivery (OR 6.97; 95% CI 6.09–7.96). Logistic regression analyses reveal that maternal age, maternal body height, prepregnancy weight status, gestational weight gain, birth weight, newborn head circumference and child presentation show an independent, highly significant association with caesarean delivery. We conclude that maternal and newborn characteristics typical of recent lifestyle patterns, such as advanced maternal age, obesity, increased gestational weight gain and increased newborn size, are highly significantly associated with increased emergency CS rates. Moreover, maternal shortness and breech presentation are risk factors for emergency CS.

AB - Caesarean section (CS) rates are increasing in many parts of the world, recently reaching about 20% worldwide. The postmodern lifestyle characteristics, obesity and delayed childbirth, have been put forward as the main reasons for high CS rates. The present study tests the association patterns between lifestyle parameters and delivery mode on a data set of 3786 births in Vienna between 2005 and 2013. The focus is exclusively on singleton term births. As well as maternal age, prepregnancy weight status, maternal body height and gestational weight gain, newborn size (birth weight, birth length, and head circumference), Apgar scores and child presentation were recorded. Planned as well as emergency CS rates increased significantly (p < 0.0001) with increasing maternal age and decreasing maternal body height. Emergency CS rates, however, increased significantly with increasing maternal prepregnancy weight status and gestational weight gain. An especially high risk of emergency CS occurred among four groups of mothers: those older than 40 years (OR = 2.68; 95% CI 1.87–3.86), those who were obese (OR = 1.44; 95% 1.15–1.81), those experiencing a gestational weight gain above 15 kg (OR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.13–1.54), and those shorter than 160 cm (OR = 1.216; 95% CI 1.02–1.45). Emergency CS rates were significantly higher among low-weight newborns (<2500 g) and macrosome newborns (>4000 g) than among normal-weight newborns. Furthermore, breech presentation was associated with an increased risk of caesarean delivery (OR 6.97; 95% CI 6.09–7.96). Logistic regression analyses reveal that maternal age, maternal body height, prepregnancy weight status, gestational weight gain, birth weight, newborn head circumference and child presentation show an independent, highly significant association with caesarean delivery. We conclude that maternal and newborn characteristics typical of recent lifestyle patterns, such as advanced maternal age, obesity, increased gestational weight gain and increased newborn size, are highly significantly associated with increased emergency CS rates. Moreover, maternal shortness and breech presentation are risk factors for emergency CS.

KW - DELIVERY

KW - EUROPE

KW - GESTATIONAL WEIGHT-GAIN

KW - HEIGHT

KW - INDEPENDENT RISK-FACTOR

KW - MATERNAL OBESITY

KW - OUTCOMES

KW - PERSPECTIVES

KW - PREGNANCY

KW - WOMEN

KW - caesarean section rates

KW - child presentation

KW - delivery mode

KW - macrosomia

KW - maternal age

KW - maternal height

KW - newborn size

KW - obesity

KW - recent environment

KW - Caesarean section rates

KW - Recent environment

KW - Child presentation

KW - Obesity

KW - Maternal height

KW - Macrosomia

KW - Maternal age

KW - Delivery mode

KW - Newborn size

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058918503&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/ijerph16010014

DO - 10.3390/ijerph16010014

M3 - Article

VL - 16

JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

SN - 1661-7827

IS - 1

M1 - 14

ER -

Kirchengast S, Hartmann BW. Recent Lifestyle Parameters Are Associated with Increasing Caesarean Section Rates among Singleton Term Births in Austria. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019 Jan;16(1):14. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16010014