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Indicator name:
Births by caesarean section (%)
Short name:
Births by caesarean section
Data type:
Percent
Indicator Id:
68
Topic:
Health service coverage
Rationale:
The percentage of births by caesarean section is an indicator of access to and use of emergency health care during childbirth.
Definition:
Percentage of births by caesarean section among all live births in a given time period.
Method of measurement
Household surveys: birth history—detailed questions on the last-born child or all children a woman has given birth to during a given period preceding the survey (usually 3 to 5 years), including characteristics of the birth(s). The number of live births to women surveyed provides the denominator. Service or facility records: the number of women having given birth by caesarean section (numerator). Census projections or, in some cases, vital registration data can be used to provide the denominator (numbers of live births).
M&E Framework:
Outcome
Method of estimation:
WHO compiles empirical data from household surveys and facility reporting systems for this indicator. Predominant type of statistics: adjusted.
Method of estimation of global and regional aggregates:
Regional estimates are weighted averages of the country data, using the number of live births for the reference year in each country as the weight.
Preferred data sources:
Facility reporting system
Household surveys
Unit of Measure:
N/A
Expected frequency of data dissemination:
Annual
Expected frequency of data collection:
Annual
Comments:
Values lower than 10% may indicate that an insufficient number of caesarean sections are being conducted, and that there may be some women who need a caesarean section but do not receive it.
Contact person email:
choud@who.int
Name:
Doris Chou
Links:
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS)
http://mics.unicef.org/surveys
WHO statement on caesarean section rates
Reproductive Health Monitoring and Evaluation (WHO)
Indicator Metadata Registry List
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