Caesarean birth in public maternities in Argentina: a formative research study on the views of obstetricians, midwives and trainees.

Objectives: To explore obstetricians', midwives' and trainees' perceptions of caesarean section (CS) determinants in the context of public obstetric care services provision in Argentina. Our hypothesis is that known determinants of CS use may differ in settings with limited access to essential obstetric services.

Setting: We conducted a formative research study in 19 public maternity hospitals in Argentina.

Optimizing the use of cesarean section in Argentina: design and methodology of a formative research for the development of interventions.

Background: While cesarean section is an essential life-saving strategy for women and newborns, its current overuse constitutes a global problem. The aim of this formative research is to collect information from hospitals, health professionals and women regarding the use of cesarean section in Argentina. This article describes the methodology of the study, the characteristics of the hospitals and the profile of the participants.