Table 1

Caesarean section (CS) rates in countries categorised according to United Nations geographical grouping in 2018*

Region/subregionEstimated CS rate (%, 95% CI)Range (min-max, %)Coverage of estimates (%)
Africa (n=44)9.2 (5.2 to 13.2)1.4–51.889.9
 Northern Africa (n=5)32.0 (5.9 to 58.2)9.1–51.897.8
 Sub-Saharan Africa (n=39)5.0 (3.5 to 6.6)1.4–50.788.6
Asia (n=40)23.1 (19.9 to 26.3)3.5–55.396.7
 Central Asia (n=5)12.5 (6.5 to 18.4)5.3–18100
 Eastern Asia (n=5)33.7 (27.3 to 40.1)12.9–39.1100
 South-eastern Asia (n=8)15.9 (9.6 to 22.3)3.5–32.795.1
 Southern Asia (n=7)19.0 (13.7 to 24.3)6.6–4096.3
 Western Asia (n=15)31.7 (22.7 to 40.6)4.8–55.391.0
Europe (n=38)25.7 (23.4 to 28.0)14.9–46.998.8
 Eastern Europe (n=10)25.0 (18.7 to 31.3)17.9–46.9100
 Northern Europe (n=10)25.3 (21.5 to 29.1)15.9–32.6100
 Southern Europe (n=11)30.1 (27.5 to 32.7)21.2–34.193.0
 Western Europe (n=7)24.2 (18.3 to 30.2)14.9–32.7100
Americas (n=25)39.3 (34.6 to 44.0)5.4–58.193.7
 Latin America and the Caribbean (n=23)42.8 (37.6 to 48.0)5.4–58.191.2
 Northern America (n=2)31.6 (20.5 to 42.8)28.8–31.9100
Oceania (n=7)21.4 (6.6 to 36.2)3.0–34.696.4
 Australia and New Zealand (n=2)33.5 (1.9 to 65.1)27.9–34.6100
 Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia (n=5)3.6 (0.7 to 6.6)3.0–17.491.6
World total (n=154)21.1 (18.8 to 23.3)1.4–58.194.5
 More developed countries (n=45)27.2 (25.2 to 29.2)14.9–55.399.3
 Less developed countries (n=70)24.2 (20.9 to 27.5)2.4–58.194.6
 Least developed countries (n=39)8.2 (5.2 to 11.2)1.4–32.792.0
  • *Countries with the latest CS rate record available in 2010 or late were included.