Purpose: to study the actual conditions of medical assistance and types of delivery and factors contributing to their indication in Uberaba, MG. Method: the data of 4,294 puerperas who gave birth in the period from April 15, 1992 to April 14, 1993 in 7 maternities in Uberaba were studied. Results: it was seen that the Teaching Hospital had a greater participation in deliveries attending the younger population, probably the poorest and most unprepared regarding pregnancy. It was the only Hospital in which cesarean section rates were near those accepted by the who. Medical assistance in Uberaba was predominantly through Social Security (SUS), private health insurance and physicians representing a lower proportion. It was also verified that cesarean section frequency increased with age and type of medical assistance and the groups with private coverage presented a higher number of cesarean sections. Conclusion: it may be perhaps justified to consider the social factor as interfering with the indication of type of delivery.
Pregnancy; Health costs; Delivery; Cesarean section
