OBJECTIVES : The aim of this study is to map and compare the averages and geographical inequalities of caesarean section rates in WHO European Region with different religions.

METHODS : We selected indicator „HFA_596 Caesarean sections per 1000 live births” from WHO’s Health for All database to analyse the time period between 1990-2014. We compared WHO regions with the following religions: Christianity, Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodoxy. Independent samples T-test or Mann-Whitney test were used for years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2014. Data for Greece, Iceland, Montenegro, Portugal and Slovakia were not available.

RESULTS : Average number of caesarean sections per 1,000 live births was 58.2 in the WHO European Region in 1990. This was 69.4 in Christian, 27.4 in Muslim, 78.6 in Catholic, 103.0 in Protestant and 53.6 in Orthodox countries. Average number of caesarean sections per 1,000 live births was 238.1 in the WHO European Region in 2014. This was 254.9 in Christian, 172.7 in Muslim, 276.5 in Catholic, 208.1 in Protestant and 263.3 in Orthodox countries. Average growth of caesarean section rates of all WHO European Region’s countries was +309%. Caesarean sections rose by +267% in Christian and by +529% in Muslim countries from 1990 to 2014. This number increased by +252% in Catholic, +102% in Protestant and +392% in Orthodox countries. There were significant differences between Christian and Muslim regions in every year (p=0.013; p=0.001; p<0.001; p<0.001; p=0.018; p=0.005). For Catholic and Protestant countries, significant difference was found only in 2014 (p=0.017). Greatest difference was found in 2005 between Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox countries (p=0.003; p=0.028).

CONCLUSIONS : We found significant increase in the caesarean section rates according to religions of WHO European Region’s countries between 1990-2014. The highest increase was observed in Muslim (529 %) and Orthodox countries (392 %).