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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0PLOS One

Caesarean deliveries and their impact on financial burden and quality of life among post-partum mothers in Tamil Nadu, India

  • Retna Sheeja Pushpa Raj1
  • Prakash Babu Kodali2
  1. 1Department of Public Health Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, India
  2. 2Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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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.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{raj2026caesarean,
  title = {{Caesarean deliveries and their impact on financial burden and quality of life among post-partum mothers in Tamil Nadu, India}},
  author = {Retna Sheeja Pushpa Raj and Prakash Babu Kodali},
  journal = {PLOS One},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0358778},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358778},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Caesarean deliveries and their impact on financial burden and quality of life among post-partum mothers in Tamil Nadu, India
AU  - Retna Sheeja Pushpa Raj
AU  - Prakash Babu Kodali
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/22
JO  - PLOS One
DO  - 10.1371/journal.pone.0358778
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358778
AB  - 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.
SN  - 1932-6203
ER  -