Table 3.

Main recorded indications for cesarean delivery

Indication	Prelabor Cesarean Delivery (%)	Intrapartum Cesarean Delivery (%)
Individual indications#
Previous uterine scar	45.1	8.2
Failure to progress/cephalopelvic disproportion	2.0	47.1
Elective*	26.4	11.7
Non-reassuring fetal testing/fetal distress	6.5	27.3
Fetal malpresentation	17.1	7.5
Hypertensive disorders	3.1	1.6
Fetal macrosomia	3.3	1.2
Multiple gestation	2.8	0.8
Grouped indications (hierarchical, mutually exclusive)
Clinically indicated‡	9.7	74.9
Mixed§	80.7	23.0
Truly elective†	9.6	2.1
Total	100	100

^#Women may have more than one indication. The total percentage may exceed 100%.

^*Indications for elective cesarean delivery include “elective”, declining trial of labor, elder gravid, multiparity, remote from term, postterm/postdates, diabetes, chorioamnionitis, chronic or gestational hypertension without preeclampsia/eclampsia, premature rupture of the membranes, HPV infection, GBS positive, polyhydramnios, fetal demise, tubal ligation, and social/religion concerns.

^‡Clinically indicated includes emergency, non-reassuring fetal heart rate tracing/fetal distress, failure to progress, cephalopelvic disproportion, failed induction, failed forceps, failed VBAC, placenta abruption, placenta previa, shoulder dystocia, and history of shoulder dystocia;

^§Mixed includes: previous uterine scar, breech/malpresentation, fetal anomalies, fetal macrosomia, HIV infection, multiple gestation, preeclampsia/eclampsia, other;

^†Truly elective: without any indication in the “clinically indicated” or “mixed” categories.