Social and economic change and rising rate of cesarean section delivieries in Ecuador

Birth by cesarean section is increasing globally, particularly in countries experiencing rapid social and economic change. While cesarean sections can be imperative for the immediate health of mother and child, elective cesareans have been associated with increased risk of low birthweight, metabolic disease, asthma, diabetes, and obesity in children and health risks in mothers. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recommends a national cesarean section rate of between 5 and 15% and suggests that a rate higher than 15% may be motivated by factors other than medical risk. Ecuador's rate of cesarean delivery rose from 17.1% in 1994 to 41.2% in 2012. Using data from Ecuador's 2012 nationally-representative Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutricion (ENSANUT), this project explores how socioeconomic factors and access to prenatal care are associated with the prevalence of cesarean sections in Ecuador and rates of change over the past two decades.