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Table 2 Maternal, obstetric and infant characteristics by country

From: Why 'down under' is a cut above: a comparison of rates of and reasons for caesarean section in England and Australia

 

England (N = 5,250)

Queensland (N = 3,467)

p

N

%

N

%

Maternal Characteristics

     

Maternal Age

    

.879

34 years or younger

3,863

74.3

2,568

74.4

 

35 years or older

1,337

25.7

882

25.6

 

Missing

50

 

17

  

Secondary Education

    

< .001

Completed

3,972

76.8

3,107

90.3

 

Not completed

1,201

23.2

334

9.7

 

Missing

77

 

26

  

Maternal Country of Birth

    

.444

Same as index birth

3,965

79.0

2,755

79.7

 

Different from index birth

1,052

21.0

701

20.3

 

Missing

233

 

11

  

Obstetric Characteristics

     

Parity

    

< .001

Primiparous

2,564

49.8

1,577

45.5

 

Multiparous – No previous CS

1,999

38.8

1,266

36.5

 

Multiparous – Previous CS

590

11.4

623

18.0

 

Missing

97

 

1

  

Plurality

    

< .001

Single

5,157

98.4

3,345

96.5

 

Multiple

86

1.6

122

3.5

 

Missing

7

 

-

  

Gestational Diabetes

    

< .001

Yes

129

2.5

252

7.3

 

No

5,101

97.5

3,205

92.7

 

Missing

-

 

-

  

Placental Complications

    

.010

Yes

309

5.9

252

7.3

 

No

4,921

94.1

3,205

92.7

 

Missing

-

 

-

  

Hypertension/Pre-eclampsia

    

.012

Yes

402

7.7

318

9.2

 

No

4,828

92.3

3,139

90.8

 

Missing

-

 

-

  

Other Risk Factors §

    

< .001

Yes

931

17.8

872

25.3

 

No

4,299

82.2

2,571

74.7

 

Missing

-

 

-

  

Infant Characteristics

     

Gestational Age

    

< .001

Less than 37 weeks

334

6.4

291

8.6

 

37 weeks or more

4,852

93.6

3,096

91.4

 

Missing

64

 

80

  

Birthweight

    

.189

Less than 2500 g

273

5.4

195

5.8

 

2500 – 3999 g

4,105

81.5

2,680

80.0

 

4000 g or more

656

13.0

477

14.2

 

Missing

216

 

115

  
  1. Note. §Risk factors not already accounted for, such as fetal presentation, pre-labour rupture of membranes, threatened pre-term labour, intrauterine growth restriction, suspected fetal macrosomia, oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios, and complications in previous pregnancies or births.
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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

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