Study design, settings and participants
This was a cross-sectional survey carried out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We applied the questionnaire in four settings (one setting was not located in Rio de Janeiro, but only participants residents in Rio de Janeiro were recruited): 41st Rio de Janeiro Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SGORJ) in 6-8 July 2017; 57th Brazilian Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FEBRASGO) in Belem 15-18 November 2017; four large maternity hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, December 2017 – April 2018; 42ndRio de Janeiro Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SGORJ) in 3-5 May 2018.
In each setting we approached the potential participant, asked whether she or he was a gynecologist or obstetrician (or a trainee) and whether she or he resided and worked in Rio de Janeiro. If yes, we then explained the objectives of the survey and invited her or him to participate. We used the same strategy in all settings paying attention not to hand out a questionnaire again to the same participant that had already answered it in a previous occasion in the survey. The participant then signed the consent form and answered the self-administered anonymous questionnaire.
We obtained ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee of Pedro Ernesto Hospital/Rio de Janeiro State University (report number 2,138,839). There is no conflict of interests to declare.
Inclusion criteria were to hold a specialty degree in gynecology & obstetrics or to be an enrolled trainee in this specialty and to work as a physician in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Male physicians were included, as information about preference and choice of mode of delivery of the wife of a male participant was obtained from him and not from his wife.