Reduction of cesarean delivery rates after implementation of a comprehensive patient safety program.

Overview

AIMS: The objective of this paper was to review our institution's cesarean delivery rates starting in 2004 prior to the full implementation of a patient safety program including a uniform oxytocin policy until 2012 when the oxytocin policy and the safety program had been fully implemented. RESULTS: Cesarean delivery rates at our institution decreased incrementally from 41.6 % in 2004 to 32.7 % in 2012. The decrease in cesarean delivery rates was observed for each of the five age groups. CONCLUSION: Concerns about an increase in cesarean delivery rates after implementation of a comprehensive patient safety program including a standardized oxytocin protocol may be unfounded. Despite the increase of US national cesarean delivery rates, our study shows that it is possible to safely lower cesarean delivery rates without concomitant concerns of litigations.