Triage
Question
Among healthy women at term with singleton pregnancies in spontaneous labour, does triage at presentation to hospital reduce rates of cesarean section?
Answer
While cohort studies consistently report that early admission to hospital is associated with a higher risk of cesarean section, randomized controlled trials of triage programs have failed to show benefit in decreasing the cesarean section rate. This could mean that factors inherent in the woman or the hospital environment itself are more strongly associated with cesarean section than the timing of admission. Trials of triage to date have not provided evidence of efficacy in reducing cesarean birth rates.
