Anesthetic practice for Caesarean section and factors influencing anesthesiologists' choice of anesthesia: A population-based study

Background We examined the change in anesthetic practice for Caesarean section (CS) during the past decade and determined factors influencing anethesiologists' decisions. Methods The cases were identified from data retrieved from Longitudinal Health Insurance Database released by the Taiwan National Health Research Institute in 2008. Trend analysis was performed using logistic regression models. The decision tree analysis was performed using the chi-squared automatic interaction detector method and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of general anesthesia. Results A total of 25,606 women undergoing CS were studied. Logistic regression analyses revealed an upward trend of spinal anesthesia from 2000 to 2008 [57.8-67.5%, adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.05-1.07, P