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Prenatal care and socioeconomic status: effect on cesarean delivery

Author

Listed:
  • Carine Milcent

    (Paris-Jourdan Sciences Economiques, French National Center for Scientific Research)

  • Saad Zbiri

    (EA 7285, Versailles Saint Quentin University)

Abstract

Cesarean deliveries are widely used in many high- and middle-income countries. This overuse both increases costs and lowers quality of care and is thus a major concern in the healthcare industry. The study first examines the impact of prenatal care utilization on cesarean delivery rates. It then determines whether socioeconomic status affects the use of prenatal care and thereby influences the cesarean delivery decision. Using exclusive French delivery data over the 2008–2014 period, with multilevel logit models, and controlling for relevant patient and hospital characteristics, we show that women who do not participate in prenatal education have an increased probability of a cesarean delivery compared to those who do. The study further indicates that attendance at prenatal education varies according to socioeconomic status. Low socioeconomic women are more likely to have cesarean deliveries and less likely to participate in prenatal education. This result emphasizes the importance of focusing on pregnancy health education, particularly for low-income women, as a potential way to limit unnecessary cesarean deliveries. Future studies would ideally investigate the effect of interventions promoting such as care participation on cesarean delivery rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Carine Milcent & Saad Zbiri, 2018. "Prenatal care and socioeconomic status: effect on cesarean delivery," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-21, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:hecrev:v:8:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1186_s13561-018-0190-x
    DOI: 10.1186/s13561-018-0190-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jeffrey J. Rous & R. Todd Jewell & Robert W. Brown, 2004. "The effect of prenatal care on birthweight: a full‐information maximum likelihood approach," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 13(3), pages 251-264, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Carine Milcent & Saad Zbiri, 2020. "Use of telehealth: evidence from French teleconsultation for women's healthcare, prior and during COVID-19 pandemic," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) halshs-03163281, HAL.
    2. Saad Zbiri & Patrick Rozenberg & Carine Milcent, 2024. "Staff Resources in Public and Private Hospitals and Their Implication for Medical Practice: A French Study of Caesareans," Post-Print hal-04626835, HAL.
    3. Carine Milcent & Saad Zbiri, 2020. "Use of telehealth: evidence from French teleconsultation for women's healthcare, prior and during COVID-19 pandemic," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) halshs-03163281, HAL.
    4. Ismaïl, Safa, 2022. "Caesarean section delivery in private and public facilities in Tunisia," MPRA Paper 111483, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Saad Zbiri & Patrick Rozenberg & François Goffinet & Carine Milcent, 2018. "Cesarean delivery rate and staffing levels of the maternity unit," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, November.
    6. Carine Milcent & Saad Zbiri, 2022. "Supplementary private health insurance: The impact of physician financial incentives on medical practice," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 57-72, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cesarean delivery; Pregnancy care; Health education; Socioeconomic position;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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