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Table 1 Respondents' attitudes towards a request for Caesarean delivery for an uncomplicated term pregnancy (weighted proportions).

From: Cesarean delivery on maternal request: Can the ethical problem be solved by the principlist approach?

 

Italy (no. 383)

Spain (no. 328)

France (no. 100)

Germany (no. 139)

Netherlands (no. 126)

Luxembourg (no. 15)

UK (no. 163)

Sweden (no. 383)

 

%

(95% CI)

%

(95% CI)

%

(95% CI)

%

(95% CI)

%

(95% CI)

%

(95% CI)

%

(95% CI)

%

(95% CI)

Proportion of physicians who would comply with the woman's request for a caesarean delivery because "this is her choice":

 

55

(46–64)

15

(9–23)

19

(14–26)

75

(57–87)

22

(17–29)

57

(33–78)

79

(72–85)

49

(42–57)

Proportion of physicians indicating the following reasons for compliance with patient's request (*):

Out of respect for the woman's autonomy

93

(87–97)

83

(61–94)

79

(62–90)

95

(80–99)

96

(78–99)

100

 

97

(92–99)

97

(93–99)

To avoid possible problems of non-compliance during delivery

45

(33–58)

40

(30–51)

53

(33–72)

49

(41–58)

37

(22–55)

62

(50–74)

33

(29–37)

52

(39–64)

To avoid possible legal consequences if something goes wrong

63

(54–71)

81

(70–89)

89

(50–99)

69

(59–77)

30

(13–53)

87

(69–96)

52

(40–63)

31

(25–37)

  1. (*) Proportions computed on physicians who would agree to perform a caesarean delivery because it was the woman's choice. More than one reason could be quoted.
  2. Reproduced with permission from BJOG [19]