Table 1 Demographics of women of childbearing age in Hong Kong: comparison between women who prefer a vaginal birth (VB) and a cesarean delivery (CD) (n = 319)

Age group

0.008**

   18–25

33 (10.3)

25 (10.2)

8 (11.0)

   26–35

228 (71.5)

185 (75.2)

43 (58.9)

   36–45

58 (18.2)

36 (14.6)

22 (30.1)

Place of birth

0.488

   Hong Kong

252 (79.0)

198 (80.5)

54 (74.0)

   Outside Hong Kong (China and Asia)

67 (21.0)

48 (19.5)

19 (26.0)

Place of residence

0.470

   New Territories

166 (52.0)

130 (52.8)

36 (49.3)

   Kowloon

125 (39.2)

97 (39.4)

28 (38.4)

   Hong Kong Island

28 (8.8)

19 (7.7)

9 (12.3)

Educational level

0.016*

   Tertiary or above

185 (58.0)

153 (62.2)

32 (43.8)

   Secondary school

133 (41.7)

92 (37.4)

41 (56.2)

   Primary school

1 (0.3)

1 (0.4)

0 (0.0)

Employment status

0.446

   Homemaker

88 (27.6)

66 (26.8)

22 (30.1)

   Full time employment

209 (65.5)

165 (67.1)

44 (60.3)

   Part-time employment

22 (6.9)

15 (6.1)

7 (9.6)

Women’s occupation

0.016*

   Non-health related

293 (91.8)

221 (89.8)

72 (98.6)

   Health related:

26 (8.2)

25 (10.2)

1 (1.4)

   Physician

1 (0.4)

0 (0.0)

   Nurse

15 (6.1)

1 (1.4)

   Allied health (PT/OT)

9 (3.6)

0 (0.0)

Monthly household income

0.240

   HK$ 0–10,000

17 (5.3)

11 (4.5)

6 (8.2)

   HK$ 10,001–20,000

79 (24.8)

59 (24)

20 (27.4)

   HK$ 20,001–30,000

78 (24.5)

57 (23.2)

21 (28.8)

   HK$ 30,001–40,000

48 (15.0)

37 (15)

11 (15.1)

   Over HK$ 40,000

97 (30.4)

82 (33.3)

15 (20.5)

Sources of information on modes of delivery:

   Obstetrician

196 (61.4)

150 (61.0)

46 (63.0)

0.753

   Nurses

71 (22.3)

56 (22.8)

15 (20.5)

0.689

   Relatives

105 (32.9)

84 (34.1)

21 (28.8)

0.390

   Friends

86 (27.0)

66 (26.8)

20 (27.4)

0.923

   Previous birth experience

82 (25.7)

65 (26.4)

17 (23.3)

0.590

   Internet / books

81 (25.4)

72 (29.2)

9 (12.3)

0.03*