Table 5.

 Rate of malpractice suits according to fifth of adjusted caesarean rate

Variables	Fifth of adjusted caesarean rate*
	First (lowest)	Second	Third	Fourth	Fifth (highest)
Adjusted caesarean rate (% of all deliveries)	5.1	10.8	15.0	19.6	31.6
Malpractice suit rate (%, 95% CI)	5.7 (4.6 to 6.8)	5.1 (4.1 to 6.1)	4.7 (3.7 to 5.6)	3.3 (2.5 to 4.1)	2.7 (1.9 to 3.6)

*Computed at obstetrician year level. Placement into fifths was based on estimates of obstetrician year level caesarean rates from a patient level logistic model of caesarean delivery.. Deliveries that involved clinical contraindications to vaginal delivery were excluded. Indicator variables were created for whether an obstetrician experienced an adverse incident in the following year that ultimately resulted in a malpractice claim. The mean malpractice suit rate per caesarean fifth was computed by averaging this indicator variable across all physician years in a caesarean fifth.