A retrospective seven years audit of mode of deliveries in a tertiary care university hospital of Turkey

Aim: We aimed to present an audit on delivery rates and obstetric anesthesia techniques at Gazi University Hospital in Turkey over a period of seven years to compare it with national or international standards. Materials and methods: Annual rate of different modes of deliveries (vaginal or caesarean section) and obstetric anesthesia techniques were retrospectively audited over seven years. Results: Our audit shows a progressive rise in the rate of caesarean section (CS) from 33.72% in 2002, to 57.41% in 2008 over vaginal deliveries. There is also an increased use of regional anesthesia for CS. While the practice of epidural anesthesia for CS has decreased, utilization of CSE and spinal anesthesia has increased over 7 years. Conclusion: We conclude that over the last 7 years, the rate of CS, spinal anesthesia for elective CS and neuraxial analgesia for labour in our unit has progressively increased.