The decision-to-delivery interval is a widely used term at non-elective caesarean section. While the definition may appear self-evident, there is no universally agreed consensus about when this period begins and ends. We reviewed the literature for original research utilising the terms 'decision-to-delivery', 'decision-to-incision' or 'incision-to-delivery' and examined definitions used for decision, delivery, incision, as well as any additional time intervals that were assessed. Our analysis demonstrated an inconsistent non-standardised approach to defining these intervals, which might have clinical practice and medicolegal ramifications. We propose that the decision-to-delivery interval should be defined as follows: the interval between the time at which the senior obstetrician makes the decision that a caesarean section is required and the time at which the fetus (or first fetus in the case of multiples) is delivered. The decision time should ideally be recorded contemporaneously in the medical notes or partogram.

中文翻译：

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定义剖腹产决定分娩间隔：叙述性文献回顾和标准化建议

决定分娩间隔是非选择性剖腹产中广泛使用的术语。虽然该定义可能看起来不言自明，但对于这一时期的开始和结束时间并没有普遍同意的共识。我们使用术语“决定到交付”、“决定到切口”或“切口到交付”审查了原始研究的文献，并检查了用于决定、交付、切口以及任何额外时间的定义被评估的间隔。我们的分析证明了定义这些间隔的不一致的非标准化方法，这可能具有临床实践和法医学后果。我们建议决定交付间隔应定义如下：高级产科医生做出需要剖腹产的决定与胎儿（或多胞胎情况下的第一个胎儿）分娩的时间之间的间隔。理想情况下，决定时间应同时记录在医疗记录或产程图中。