The urgency of Caesarean section has been classified into four grades to guide patient management and allow research and audit on the topic. The classification is described in Table 1.

The classification applies to the situation at the time of the decision to operate. It is important to remember that:

• The situation may change after the decision to proceed to LSCS has been made
• The decision and the grade of urgency should be kept under review

The urgency of Caesarean section is a major factor influencing the choice of anaesthesia. The use of this grading system facilitates communication between team members.