Costing caesarean sections: a pilot study.

A random sample of mothers delivering at a nonteaching referral rural hospital is considered. Length of stay and complications following delivery are compared for mother and baby. A number of women who delivered vaginally are compared with those who were delivered by caesarean. An attempt is made to evaluate comsumption of hospital resources, especially staff, through patient dependency assessment. Qualitative data was gathered by working on the unit as a midwife and discussion with other midwives, early childhood nurses, obstetricians and mothers. A comparison is also made between difficulties in costing the procedure through case study and the use of Diagnosis Related Groupings.