Table 3.

 Reasons why women would request elective (without medical indication) caesarean section according to Brazilian women’s magazines, 1988-2008. Values are numbers (percentages)

	Articles (n=118)
Reasons for antepartum elective caesarean section
No reasons mentioned	63 (53)
Articles that give reasons for elective caesarean section:	55 (47)
To avoid labour pain	37 (31)
For convenience of family	20 (17)
Fear of vaginal delivery	11 (9)
To avoid surprises and rushing; to control things	7 (6)
For medical convenience	4 (3)
Reasons for intrapartum elective caesarean section
No reason mentioned	111 (94)
Reason: pain, fatigue, despair	7 (6)