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Economic Evaluation of Elective Cesarean Section on Maternal Request Compared With Planned Vaginal Birth—Application to Swedish Setting Using National Registry Data

Berg, Jenny ; Källén, Karin LU ; Andolf, Ellika ; Hellström-Westas, Lena LU ; Ekéus, Cecilia ; Alvan, Jonatan and Vitols, Sigurd (2023) In Value in Health 26(5). p.639-648
Abstract

Objectives: There is a lack of consensus around the definition of delivery by cesarean section (CS) on maternal request, and clinical practice varies across and within countries. Previous economic evaluations have focused on specific populations and selected complications. Our aim was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of CS on maternal request compared with planned vaginal birth in a Swedish context, based on a systematic review of benefits and drawbacks and national registry data on costs. Methods: We used the results from a systematic literature review of somatic risks for long- and short-term complications for mother and child, in which certainty was rated low, moderate, or high using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment,... (More)

Objectives: There is a lack of consensus around the definition of delivery by cesarean section (CS) on maternal request, and clinical practice varies across and within countries. Previous economic evaluations have focused on specific populations and selected complications. Our aim was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of CS on maternal request compared with planned vaginal birth in a Swedish context, based on a systematic review of benefits and drawbacks and national registry data on costs. Methods: We used the results from a systematic literature review of somatic risks for long- and short-term complications for mother and child, in which certainty was rated low, moderate, or high using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. Swedish national registry data were used for healthcare costs of delivery and complications. Utilities for long-term complications were based on a focused literature review. We constructed a decision tree and conducted separate analyses for primi- and multiparous women. Costs and effects were discounted by 3% and the time horizon was varied between 1 and 20 years. Results: Planned vaginal birth leads to lower healthcare costs and somatic health gains compared with elective CS without medical indication over up to 20 years. Although there is uncertainty around, for example, quality-of-life effects, results remain stable across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: CS on maternal request leads to increased hospitalization costs in a Swedish setting, taking into account short- and long-term consequences for both mother and child. Future research needs to study the psychological consequences related to different delivery methods, costs in outpatient care, and productivity losses.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cesarean section on maternal request, economic evaluation, registry, Sweden, systematic review
in
Value in Health
volume
26
issue
5
pages
639 - 648
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85142288559
  • pmid:36396536
ISSN
1098-3015
DOI
10.1016/j.jval.2022.10.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5695377c-7719-4fb7-8dfb-6690bfdd646b
date added to LUP
2023-01-20 14:24:15
date last changed
2024-06-14 23:32:29
@article{5695377c-7719-4fb7-8dfb-6690bfdd646b,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objectives: There is a lack of consensus around the definition of delivery by cesarean section (CS) on maternal request, and clinical practice varies across and within countries. Previous economic evaluations have focused on specific populations and selected complications. Our aim was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of CS on maternal request compared with planned vaginal birth in a Swedish context, based on a systematic review of benefits and drawbacks and national registry data on costs. Methods: We used the results from a systematic literature review of somatic risks for long- and short-term complications for mother and child, in which certainty was rated low, moderate, or high using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. Swedish national registry data were used for healthcare costs of delivery and complications. Utilities for long-term complications were based on a focused literature review. We constructed a decision tree and conducted separate analyses for primi- and multiparous women. Costs and effects were discounted by 3% and the time horizon was varied between 1 and 20 years. Results: Planned vaginal birth leads to lower healthcare costs and somatic health gains compared with elective CS without medical indication over up to 20 years. Although there is uncertainty around, for example, quality-of-life effects, results remain stable across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: CS on maternal request leads to increased hospitalization costs in a Swedish setting, taking into account short- and long-term consequences for both mother and child. Future research needs to study the psychological consequences related to different delivery methods, costs in outpatient care, and productivity losses.</p>}},
  author       = {{Berg, Jenny and Källén, Karin and Andolf, Ellika and Hellström-Westas, Lena and Ekéus, Cecilia and Alvan, Jonatan and Vitols, Sigurd}},
  issn         = {{1098-3015}},
  keywords     = {{cesarean section on maternal request; economic evaluation; registry; Sweden; systematic review}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{639--648}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Value in Health}},
  title        = {{Economic Evaluation of Elective Cesarean Section on Maternal Request Compared With Planned Vaginal Birth—Application to Swedish Setting Using National Registry Data}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2022.10.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jval.2022.10.003}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}