Clinical audits: A practical strategy for reducing cesarean section rates in a general hospital in Tehran, Iran.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the introduction of clinical audits by the Safe Motherhood Committee of a general hospital in Tehran, Iran, influenced cesarean section (CS) rates, STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study was performed. The number of deliveries before and after the institution of clinical audits (May to December 2005) were tabulated in the audited hospital and analyzed by Chi(2) test. Additionally, CS rates were measured in 3 other general hospitals during the same time period for comparison. RESULTS: A total of 3,494 deliveries were recorded during the study periods in 2004 and 2005 at the audited hospital. Subsequent to the audit, the overall CS rate decreased from 40% to 33% (p < 0.001) and the primary CS rate from 29% to 21% (p < 0.001), accounting for a 27% reduction in the risk of primary CS. In 2006 CS rates reverted to 42%. None of the other 3 general hospitals indicated a decline in CS rates in 2005. CONCLUSION: Our findings show a preventive association between the clinical audits and CS rates in a general hospital. The implementation of a clinical audit process can be an effective way to track care pathways and reduce unnecessary CS deliveries.