Cesarean delivery and perinatal mortality rates in Japan, 2007–2011

Abstract

Objective: Cesarean delivery (CD) rates are increasing dramatically in developed countries. In this study, we examined the relationship between CD rates and perinatal mortality (PM) rates in all 47 prefectures in Japan.Methods: The CD rates were derived from a national obstetrics facility survey conducted by the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (JAOG), which included 94.1% of all childbirths in Japan during the 5-year period from 2007 to 2011. The PM rates were based on vital statistics during the same period.Results: During the 5-year period from 2007 to 2011, the CD rates compiled for the 47 prefectures in Japan increased significantly in each successive year, whereas PM rates decreased significantly in each successive year. However, no statistically significant correlation between CD and PM rates was detected.Conclusion: There is a lack of evidence for a significant correlation between recently increasing CD rates and decreasing PM rates in Japan.