Cesarean delivery surgical techniques in Africa: A survey study from Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE: To describe the surgical techniques of Caesarean delivery (CD) practiced by Ethiopian Obstetricians and Gynecologists. METHODS: A descriptive survey study was conducted in Ethiopia from March 1, 2021 to April 30, 2021. Members of the Ethiopian Society of Obstetrician and Gynecologists were randomly selected and their Cesarean delivery surgical techniques were explored. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistics 22. Simple descriptive analysis were employed and frequencies and percentage were calculated to present the data. RESULTS: A total of 258 obstetricians and Gynecologists practicing in Ethiopia were approached with a response rate of 97.3% (251/258). Double layer closure of uterine incision (98.4%) and subcuticular closure of skin wound (96.4%) are practiced by most of the participants. There was a large difference in practice of blunt versus sharp fascia extension (43.3 vs 55.8%), cephalo-caudad versus lateral uterine incision extension (58 vs.39%), and closure versus non-closure of pelvic and parietal peritoneum (57.4 vs 42.6, and 39.8 versus 60.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Blunt and sharp fascia extension, cephalo-caudad and lateral uterine incision extension, closure and non-closure of the pelvic and parietal peritoneum are practiced by similar numbers of Ethiopian Obstetricians and Gynecologists. This demonstrates a wide variation exists in the techniques of Cesarean Delivery across Ethiopia.