Decision to delivery interval and associated factors for emergency cesarean section: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Emergency cesarean section is a commonly performed surgical procedure in pregnant women with life-threatening conditions of the mother and/or fetus. According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, decision to delivery interval for emergency cesarean sections should be within 30 min. It is an indicator of quality of care in maternity service, and if prolonged, it constitutes a third-degree delay. This study aimed to assess the decision to delivery interval and associated factors for emergency cesarean section in Bahir Dar City Public Hospitals, Ethiopia. METHOD: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Bahir Dar City Public Hospitals from February to May 2020. Study participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. A combination of observations and interviews was used to collect the data. Data entry and analysis were performed using Epi-data version 3.1 and SPSS version 25, respectively. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULT: Decision-to-delivery interval below 30 min was observed in 20.3% [95% CI = 15.90–24.70%] of emergency cesarean section. The results showed that referral status [AOR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.26–5.00], time of day of emergency cesarean section [AOR = 2.5, 95%CI = 1.26–4.92], status of surgeons [AOR = 2.95, 95%CI = 1.30–6.70], type of anesthesia [AOR = 4, 95% CI = 1.60–10.00] and transfer time [AOR = 5.26, 95% CI = 2.65–10.46] were factors significantly associated with the decision to delivery interval. CONCLUSION: Decision-to-delivery intervals were not achieved within the recommended time interval. Therefore, to address institutional delays in emergency cesarean section, providers and facilities should be better prepared in advance and ready for rapid emergency action. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-021-03706-8.