The continuing rise in the mean age for childbearing has a widespread impact on the practice of obstetrics. It has been accompanied by an escalation in the rate of caesarean section to around 25% in many tertiary centres and into the 35%–45% range in private practice. The reasons are complex, but advancing maternal age, patient request and obstetric litigation are all factors.
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- 1 Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Mater Mothers Hospital, South Brisbane, QLD 4101.
- 2 Royal Women's Hospital, Carlton, VIC 3053.
Correspondence: FCHAN@Mater.org.au
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