Caesarean deliveries on rise; docs blame it on patients
Chitleen K. Sethi
Tribune News Service
In many city-based private nursing homes, the rate of Caesarean sections in the past 10 years has gone up from 18 per cent to 35 percent, far beyond the WHO guidelines of 11 to 15 per cent……..According to another leading gynaecologist of the city in sector 44, Dr Nirja Chawla, ‘‘Normal deliveries are better since nature designed it like that. Our job as obstetricians is to provide as much comfort as is possible. Advances in research should be
transferred to the patient. Managing labour in pregnancy is scientifically possible. A gynaecologist should be adept in drawing partograms and monitor constantly the way the patient is progressing in labour. We have to be on standby and take a decision about a Caesarean only when something goes imminently wrong. Women are scared no doubt but then they can be assured. I inform my patients about yoga techniques and breathing exercises to help in easy delivery. But if someone has decided on elective Caesarean, one has to respect the patient’s decision. But personally I think Caesarean sections should be avoided specially in the first pregnancy as the chances of having a normal delivery the next time drop to 30 per cent.’’
Saturday, June 8th, 2002, Chandigarh, India