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Table 2 Caesarean section rate (CSs over total number of deliveries) in the ten Robson groups, 2000 to 2011, and relative change between first and last time period

From: Increasing caesarean section rates among low-risk groups: a panel study classifying deliveries according to Robson at a university hospital in Tanzania

Robson group

2000–2002

2003–2005

2006–2008

2009–2011

2000–2011

Relative change in %

1. Nullipara, single, cephalic, birth weight ≥ 2.5 kg, spontaneous labour

17% (2628/15,688)

26% (2709/10,607)

35% (2998/8687)

44% (3250/7430)

27%a (11,585/42,412)

159%c

2. Nullipara, single, cephalic, birth weight ≥ 2.5 kg, induced labour or elective CS

37% (87/236)

59% (88/150)

70% (47/67)

91% (290/320)

66%a (512/773)

146%c

3. Multipara, no previous CS, single, cephalic, birth weight ≥ 2.5 kg, spontaneous labour

12% (2148/17,679)

19% (2644/14,229)

28% (2974/10,749)

33% (3293/10,098)

21%a (11,059/52,755)

175%c

4. Multipara, no previous CS, single, cephalic, birth weight ≥ 2.5 kg, induced labour or elective CS

26% (39/152)

48% (48/101)

74% (32/43)

91% (472/518)

73%a (591/814)

250%c

5. Previous CS, single, cephalic, birth weight ≥ 2.5 kg

75% (2213/2948)

85% (2177/2561)

95% (2284/2404)

95% (3991/4182)

88%a (10,665/12,095)

27%c

6. Nullipara, single, breech

29% (137/469)

44% (91/208)

58% (104/178)

67% (121/182)

44%a (453/1037)

131%c

7. Multipara, single, breech

21% (128/597)

27% (95/354)

38% (91/237)

57% (161/284)

32%a (475/1472)

171%c

8. Multiple pregnancies

23% (375/1638)

34% (425/1237)

44% (483/1094)

52% (622/1189)

37%a (1905/5158)

126%c

9. Single, transverse or oblique lie

85% (239/282)

93% (160/173)

67% (4/6)

88% (60/68)

88%b (463/529)

3.5%c

10. Single, cephalic, birth weight < 2.5 kg

13% (941/7033)

23% (1082/4760)

23% (976/4170)

37% (1494/4086)

22%a (4493/20,049)

185%c

Total

19% (8935/46,722)

28% (9519/34,380)

36% (9993/27,635)

49% (13,754/28,357)

31%a (42,201/137,094)

158%c

  1. aP -value < 0.001 using the χ2 test for change.
  2. bP -value = 0.319 using the χ2 test for change.
  3. c(CS rate last time period – CS rate first time period)/CS rate first time period.