Investigators: Maria do Carmo Leal, Jacqueline Alves Torres, Marcos Augusto Bastos Dias, Maria Elisabeth Lopes Moreira, Silvana Granado Nogueira da Gama, Sonia Duarte Azevedo Bittencourt - National School of Public Health of the Fiocruz, Antônio Augusto Moura da Silva - Federal University of the Maranhão, Antonio Jose Ledo Alves da Cunha - Federal University of Rio De Janeiro, Eleonora d' Orsi - Federal University of Santa Catarina, Roxana Knobel - Federal University of Santa Catarina. Carmen Simone Grilo Diniz - University of São Paulo, Sônia Lansky - City Hall of Belo Horizonte, Álvaro Jorge Madeiro Leite - Federal University of the Ceará Rejane,  Silva Cavalcante - University of the State of Pará, 

Project Funding: Brazilian National Health Research 

In Brazil, they are about three million births per year, and 47% of women had a Caesarean section. A national multi-centre study will examine outcomes of hospitals with over 500 births stratified by region, locality, financing and level of complexity. determine the magnitude and adverse effect of the unnecessary caesarean section in Brazil. The objectives are to:

• estimate the prevalence caesarean births in public and private institutions according to level of complexity of the institution and locality
• describe the characteristics of the women and their motivation for their childbirth option
• describe outcomes and complications in the mother and baby