Effect of Holiday Periods on Obstetrician's Cesarean Desicions

Gürkan KIRAN, Alanur MENEKŞE GÜVEN, Hasan Çetin EKERBİÇER, Bülent KÖSTÜ, Haldun ARPACI
Kahramanmaraş-Turkey

OBJECTIVE: To compare the cesarean sections performed prior to public holidays in 2004 with the rates of cesarean delivery in other periods in Kahramanmaraş.
STUDY DESIGN: A total of 3994 cesarean sections out of 11611 deliveries were analyzed retrospectively. Two different long public holiday periods were determined. The total number of cesarean deliveries in a total of ten days comprised of each five days prior to the mentioned holiday periods were taken into consideration and evaluated.
RESULTS: No significant difference was found in these units between the numbers of cesarean deliveries in periods prior public holiday dates and the numbers of cesarean in other times.
CONCLUSIONS: As a result of this study, it may be concluded that the tendency of physicians in cesarean indications before long off-time periods is not as effective as expected. Further detailed studies examining also the indications of cesarean sections with larger patient populations are required to make a real conclusion.
(Gynecol Obstet Reprod Med 2006; 12:109-111)

Key Words: Cesarean, Indication, Off-time periods