{
  "abstract": "Introduction: Caesarean section (C-section) deliveries are on the rise globally, often with significant health and economic consequences. This study investigates the prevalence and factors associated with C-section deliveries, and their association with out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPE) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among post-partum mothers in Tamil Nadu, India. Methods: A cross sectional study among 475 randomly selected post-partum mothers was conducted during April-June 2023. Data on demographic and obstetric characteristics and OOPE were collected using a structured survey questionnaire. HRQL was assessed using the 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to compute Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) to identify the factors associated with C-section deliveries, and identify the association between C-section deliveries with OOPE and HRQL. Results: C-section deliveries accounted for 52.60% of all births. High-risk pregnancies (AOR = 17.21, 95% CI = 7.57–39.13, p < 0.001), and private healthcare facilities (AOR = 3.02, 95% CI = 1.62–5.65, p = 0.001) were associated with C-sections. C-section delivery was significantly associated with higher OOPE (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.22–3.47, p = 0.007) and poor physical HRQL (AOR = 0.31, 95%CI = 0.18–0.55, p < 0.001). Conclusions: One in two deliveries in Tamil Nadu are C-section deliveries and were associated with higher financial burden and poorer quality of life among post-partum mothers. Strategies targeted at reducing unwarranted C-sections are needed.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Public Health Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, India",
    "Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Retna Sheeja Pushpa Raj"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Prakash Babu Kodali"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fxa19mpaynjs3.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0358778",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "fxa19mpaynjs3",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358778",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2729|Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Health care/Health care facilities"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Health care/Quality of life"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Surgical and invasive medical procedures/Obstetric procedures/Cesarean section"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Maternal health/Birth/Labor and delivery"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Maternal health/Pregnancy/Management of high-risk pregnancies"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Obstetrics and gynecology/Birth/Labor and delivery"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Obstetrics and gynecology/Pregnancy/Management of high-risk pregnancies"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/People and places/Geographical locations/Asia/India"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/People and places/Population groupings/Ethnicities/Asian people/Tamil people"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Social sciences/Economics/Finance"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214027699",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0358778&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-22",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fxa19mpaynjs3.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:43Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0358778",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358778"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:women's health",
      "subfield": "reproductive-child"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Caesarean deliveries and their impact on financial burden and quality of life among post-partum mothers in Tamil Nadu, India",
  "title_text": "Caesarean deliveries and their impact on financial burden and quality of life among post-partum mothers in Tamil Nadu, India",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:43Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fxa19mpaynjs3",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}