Y.S. RANA , CHANDIGARH—DEC 26—More and more pregnant women in Chandigarh love for the knife instead of going in for a normal delivery, if the data provided by the health department is of any indication.
According to the official data, number of caesarean C-Section deliveries conducted in public health institutions in 2011-12 were 5162 out of total 21,205 deliveries carried out compared to 4636 caesarean deliveries out of 19,295 in 2009-10. In 2010-11, 5021 caesarean deliveries were carried out. Till November 2012, the public health institutions have conducted 4180 caesarean deliveries, says the data.
It is stated that the number of caesareans has been increasing over the last decade in the city with the caesarean rate touching 26 per cent in 2011 while the World Health Organization (WHO) norm is 10-20 per cent. The official of the health department said to Daily Post that they were identifying the main reason to avoid normal delivery among women and to prevent any kind of complications. The caesarean rate, at present, has come down to 19 per cent, said he.
As per a survey by the International Institute of Population Sciences has revealed that the rate of caesareans have increased in the country by more than seven per cent in 1998 to above 16 per cent in 2006.
Commenting on it, Dr Soma Rani, Health and Family Welfare Officer, said that there might be a number of reasons while more and more pregnant women were opting for caesarean deliveries. She further said that for the past two decades the city has witnessed an increase of over 40 per cent in the number of pregnancy among the women between the age group of 35-39 years and over 60 per cent women have babies between the age group of 40-44 years.
“Increase in weight among women is the main concern. Heavier women are likely to have bigger babies and in order to protect overly large babies from traumatic vaginal delivery, caesarean delivery is preferred,” said another doctor of GMCH-32. A normal delivery can at times take up to 18 hours throughout which the doctor would need to be with the patient while C-sec was over in an hour, she added.
While talking to the experts on the other say to Daily Post and warn that childbirth through the caesarean section has a 2.84 fold higher chance of maternal death than the normal delivery. Studies show 52 per cent of maternal deaths are due to anaesthesia-related complications occur in elective caesareans. A first birth caesarean has a 30 per cent chance of causing placental disruption in a later pregnancy. It is also known to be a potential risk factor for respiratory distress syndrome in babies.
Given these risks, it is not surprising that C-sec worldwide is used as a last resort method. The WHO says in any society it should not account for more than 20 per cent of all childbirths.
YEAR TOTAL DELIVERY CAESAREAN DELIVERY
2009-10 19,295 4636
2010-11 20,032 5021
2011-12 21,205 5162
up to Nov 2012 14,919 4180