Normal deliveries no longer the norm as C-sections top private hospitals in Pune
Caesarean section deliveries in private hospitals have increased from 41% to 60% in Pune over the next five years
In city private hospitals, normal deliveries are no longer the norm. According to data from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 27,767 normal deliveries were reported in government and private facilities in 2022, compared to 28,947 C-section deliveries.
The percentage of C-section births is lower in government hospitals, which requires further investigation to determine whether profiteering is at the root of this trend to take corrective action, even though doctors claim that most of the pregnancies they handle are high-risk pregnancies, which is the primary reason for more C-section deliveries.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the optimal rate for Caesarean section or C-section delivery of newborns is between 10-15% of overall deliveries. Caesarean sections may be necessary in cases of protracted or obstructed labour, foetal discomfort, or the infant arriving in an aberrant position. However, not all caesarean sections performed at the moment are medically necessary.
Caesarean section deliveries in private hospitals have increased from 41% to 60% in Pune over the next five years, whereas they have increased from 38% to 41% in government hospitals. However, both facilities have a larger percentage of C-sections than typical deliveries.
According to Dr Parag Biniwale, immediate past president of the Pune Obstetric and Gynecological Society and OB-GYN expert visiting Kamla Nehru Hospital, the reason behind the rise of C-section deliveries is an increase in the number of high-risk patients.
“We are getting patients with diabetes and hypertension. Many people are opting for pregnancy at a later age after 35 years or 40 years. These are the factors and medical conditions which increase the risk and eventually the C-section deliveries. Even in the government hospital, the number of C-section deliveries contributes to around 40%,” he said.
According to Dr Bhagwan Pawar, PMC’s Health Officer, C-section deliveries are very vital for saving lives in cases where conventional deliveries would endanger the mother or child. “The treating doctors have even provided recorded proof to support the reason for the C-section birth. However, we need to figure out what is causing the trend and how to reverse it,” he said.
The rising gap in C-section births between public and private hospitals is concerning. Health experts claim maternal reasons like fear of childbirth, safety concerns related to health risk perceptions, negative experiences of previous births, trust in science and superstitious beliefs of inauspicious birth dates and time.
According to Dr Sunita Tandulwadkar, vice-president of the Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction and Head of the OB-GYN Department at Ruby Hall Clinic, no doctor will conduct a C-section for any cause other than the foetal or mother’s health.
“Every doctor is responsible for delivering a healthy baby, and the figures fail to recognise that at private hospitals, we handle high-risk deliveries. Most people who come to us have diabetes, hypertension, or obesity. Pregnant women used to perform a lot of housework, but that has reduced recently. No doctor performs a C-section unless it is indicated,” she stated.
