Mother!! We get a warm feeling whenever we hear this word. And the Indian mothers, are very different and the best in the world. You might also believe this fact. However, an epidemic that is silently and quickly expanding throughout India is posing a serious threat to the lives of Indian women. But no one is discussing this and this epidemic is caused by the C-Section deliveries. Doctors have two ways of executing the delivery of a child, first is the Natural Delivery and Second is the Cesarean or C-section delivery. In Natural Delivery, the child is taken out of the mother's womb through her vagina. During a cesarean delivery, an incision is made to remove the baby from the abdomen.

Difference between Natural Delivery and C-section Delivery

Natural delivery is considered to be the most preferred method for childbirth in the whole world. Because it is a safe process for both the mother and her child. During the execution of normal delivery if any complication is encountered then C-Section method can be considered. So that the risk to the lives of both the mother and child can be reduced. But if natural delivery is possible, it should be adopted without any doubt, doctors even believe this, but surprisingly this is not happening in India.

Data Analysis

According to the World Health Organization’s official statement, 10–15% of new-borns worldwide can be delivered via cesarean section. But if the childbirths take place through the C-Section method by more than this percentage then, It is surely problematic. If you look at the data of India, Here more than 23% of the deliveries are done through C-Section and the recent increment in the cases of C-Section deliveries is really shocking. The data from the year 2008-2018 shows that the C-Section deliveries in Public Hospitals in India have tripled. And in private hospitals in India, the deliveries of children through C-Section has increased by 400%.

These numbers are not only experiencing a huge increment in India, a similar thing is taking place in the US and the health department of the US is also concerned about it. And continuously making efforts to reduce these figures. But this question becomes highly important, Why the number of C-section deliveries is increasing massively in India? What are the reasons, why the health of Indian mothers is getting compromised? I am going to discuss all this in detail in this article.

The number of babies born through C-Sections are on the rise in private hospitals in urban India. C- Section becomes the most cost-effective way to deliver a baby. A C-Section is conducted for non-medical reasons. A woman now just too posh to push or is the increasing medicalization of the birthing process. What’s behind this warning threat? Now, From where the C-Section deliveries were started? This question is actually a topic of debate. There is no actual origin of the C-Section deliveries.

How it is started?

If you go through any folklore whether Ancient Hindu, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, or European, You might get some information about it. In India, the first non-mythical record of C-Section deliveries was found in 300 BC. According to scriptures, the mother of the second Mauryan emperor Bindusara was poisoned. And then Chanakya performed the C-Section procedure to save the life of Bindusara. There exist many stories regarding the name of this procedure. There isn’t any confirmed source. But according to one story, The Roman emperor Julius Caesar ordered in 46 BC that, if any pregnant woman dies, the child must be taken out from the abdomen of the mother by making an incision. And after this, the procedure was named Caesarian or C-Section.

If you look at the ancient period, Caesarian delivery was only done if the mother dies before or while executing normal delivery. Or there is a huge risk to the life of the mother. But when Antiseptic and anesthesia were developed in the modern medicine. After that in the 19th century, gradually, A hike was observed In the C-section deliveries. But the increment in C-section deliveries which is experienced in India in the recent years.

Why it is dangerous?

That is an increment of around 300-400%. This increment is very concerning and an area to look at that’s why many people call it an epidemic. If you perform the C-section delivery in appropriate circumstances, Many lives could be saved by the C-section procedure. There is no doubt about it. But on the other hand, There is a risk of infection after the execution of C-section delivery. Following a C-section, the healing period is longer than after a regular birth. A full recovery takes four to six weeks. Plus, there is more discomfort with this operation. If you also consider the economical aspect. A C-section delivery is costlier in comparison to the normal delivery.

Expenditure

You have to stay for a longer period in the hospital after the C-section procedure And this increases the expenditure. I cannot show you the data from various cities But according to the data published by the government, A normal delivery costs around INR 10,800 and a C-section delivery costs INR 23,978. This amount can vary in different cities and hospitals. But if you notice, generally, C-section delivery is 2-3 times more expensive than the Normal delivery.

Mental health

Apart from this, if you look at the C-section deliveries, It even has a psychological aspect. Postpartum depression is experienced by many mothers after giving birth to the child. Studies tell that if the child takes birth through the C-section procedure, There are higher chances of the mother experiencing postpartum depression. If there are so many negative points related to this C-section delivery procedure, Why child deliveries through C-section procedures are experiencing an increment? This is a significant question. There are numerous causes for this. First, let’s discuss the most significant and critical factor.

Corporate Greed

If you look over time, you can see that India has seen a sharp rise in the number of private hospitals. And the increment in the number of C-section deliveries correlated with the increment in the number of private hospitals. According to a report published in the year 2021, More than 47% of the deliveries in private hospitals in India were taking place surgically. Private hospitals earn more money through C-section delivery in comparison to the normal deliveries That's why the doctors in private hospitals pressurize the mothers and their family members, Who has no knowledge, To opt for C-section delivery. Apart from this, cesarean delivery is a fast procedure. Doctors have to spend less time executing the C-section procedure. And since the recovery period is longer, The hospitals get the opportunity to earn more money. Most of the time, if you observe in the urban areas, Generally, people have health insurance. The deliveries are covered by this insurance. So, the private hospitals try to understand the mother and her family to opt for a C-section delivery and the hospitals can earn more money by increasing the bill total amount. A change has also been observed in the preference of the Indian mothers.

Many Times mothers voluntarily ask for normal deliveries. But many mothers of the modern generation ask for the surgical procedure. These mothers opt for the C-section delivery procedure. Because of the fear of labor pain.Apart from this, many families get superstitious about the child getting birth at a particular date and time. If the child takes birth at that time his fortunes will get aligned. With this thinking, the C-section delivery procedure is executed. Because you can choose the date and time for undergoing this surgical procedure. But if it is asked from the doctor regarding every case, Why did you perform the C-Section delivery? He cannot reply, it was asked by the mother or her family to give birth to the children at a particular date and time. This is the duty of the doctor to consult the patient and her family. And make them understand how beneficial it would be to opt for normal delivery when it could be conducted. Even doctors are employees of the hospitals. There would be no benefit in consultation. The doctors think if C-Section deliveries are profitable for the hospitals, there is nothing wrong with conducting it.

Lifestyle

There are other reasons as well apart from corporate greed that is responsible for this. In the past few years if you observe in India, Major changes have been observed in the modern Indian lifestyle. On one side, the eating and living habits of individuals have changed in India. While on the other hand, our thoughts and way of living have modernized. And if you look at dietary changes then, the consumption of junk food has increased manifold. Due to this, the essential nutrients are reduced in the diet of the Indian mothers and due to this, opting for C-Section delivery is the only option. In their diet, calories are very high. Fat and sugar levels are also high. Due to this, Indian mothers are getting overweight and in these cases as well, executing normal delivery could be dangerous. Hence C-section delivery is carried out.

One more change in the lifestyle of Indian mothers is observed today, Increase in the age of marriage. In India, especially in the urban environment, People first want to secure their career and get a means of stable livelihood. After this, they plan for their child. And if we look, this is a very sensitive topic. Due to this, marriages are getting late. And the age of pregnancy is increasing. Due to this, many complications get developed in conducting a normal delivery. Due to this, a rise in C-Section deliveries could be observed in India.

Positive Side

Apart from this, a bright side could also be observed in this whole scenario. The positives behind conducting C-Section deliveries could be, Overall the years the healthcare infrastructure in India has improved a lot. In the years 2005-06, Only 40% of the deliveries were institutional. These were conducted in the hospitals. In the years, 2021-22 this percentage has increased to 95%. This means 95% of the deliveries in India are conducted in the hospitals. In fact, in some states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Goa, 100% of the deliveries are getting conducted in the hospitals. This means that now only 4-5% of the deliveries are conducted in homes. Hence obviously, when more deliveries would be conducted in the hospitals. The number of C-section deliveries would also increase and similar is happening in India. But the rise in C-section deliveries India is experiencing today, has surpassed the recommended percentage given by the World Health Organization and this is very concerning. So if we want to put a break on this high rise in the number of C-section deliveries. Then, what should be done? To deal with this epidemic, a few strategies might be deployed.

The first one is, making public institutions strong. In government hospitals, the percentage of Cesarean sections is still between 14 and 15 percent. And this percentage is lesser than the recommended percentage. This means the people are not forced here to opt for C-Section deliveries to earn money. Government must strengthen these hospitals. The facilities here must get better and advanced. In order for people to have an option of using the services provided by government hospitals.

The second method could be, Pressurizing the private hospitals to make the number of C-section deliveries public conducted by them. In general, if you visit any doctor and ask, How many c-section deliveries have been conducted by them in this hospital in the last year? The doctors have to tell you that number. But generally, people are not aware of this. This should be made public, So that people can get to know any particular hospital has carried 90% of the deliveries through C-Section procedures in the last year. This means that a particular hospital can force you to opt for C-Section delivery whether it is required or not. In this way, the patient would be aware in advance. Which hospital to choose and which hospital not to choose.

Apart from this, the price difference between natural and C-section delivery should be reduced. Through this, hospitals will not be able to earn more money by conducting C-Section deliveries. Hence they would opt for normal delivery in the majority of the cases. And in India, the government has not set proper guidelines for the cases in which C-section delivery should be carried out. Hence, the guidelines can be made stricter. And mothers can be consulted if they fear the labor pain. Along with consulting about this during the whole pregnancy period, Information about the diet and exercises should be provided to the mother. With all this, in many cases c-section delivery could be avoided and normal delivery could be conducted. C-section deliveries exist because sometimes there may be certain complications in conducting a normal delivery. The mother’s or the child’s life could be in danger.

Conclusion

Hence as an alternative, it is a very good procedure. However, it is not a better choice. Because in the event that the child is born naturally. The child’s immune system is stronger. The mother and her child’s connection gets stronger. And the pain experienced by the mothers for 4-6 weeks after going through the C-Section is absent in the normal delivery procedure. This was all about the increasing epidemic of C-section deliveries in India. 

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