Rise in caesarean deliveries in Maharashtra; advisory to pvt hospitals

Following a significant rise in caesarean operations, the Maharashtra government’s health department has asked professional bodies of gynaecologists to help in reducing the number of C-section births in private hospitals.

Mumbai (Maharashtra): The increase in the number of cases of caesarean deliveries in Maharashtra has prompted the state health department to take remedial measures. It has asked the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) to make its members follow the modified criteria for deliveries as announced in 2017 to help reduce the number of C-section deliveries.

The data from the state health department suggested that private hospitals across the state conducted 7,88,882 deliveries in 2017-18. Of this, 1,88,963, nearly 24 per cent, were C-sections. Till October 2022, the number of deliveries at private hospitals across the state stood at 5,00,461 of which 1,76,126, nearly 35 per cent, were caesarean deliveries.

The statistics show that the state saw a nine per cent rise in C-section deliveries in the past four years. An advisory was addressed to office bearers of the FOGSI on this. The letter said, "since the subject is very sensitive, we have given instructions to all our members to implement Modified Robson’s criteria for emergency caesarean delivery in private hospitals."

The letter also urged private hospitals and gynaecologists to issue guidelines for strict adherence to these norms. In the meeting, the members have been instructed to follow the protocol laid down by the government and adopt necessary policies to reduce the number of caesarean deliveries.

Dr Ashok Anand, head of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at JJ hospital, said, “Women these days don’t want to bear labour pain and insist doctors do C-sections. Many private hospitals don’t have sufficient manpower to keep observing the patient in case of normal delivery which takes more time while C-sections are done within 1 or 2 hours."

Anand further said, "There might be a possibility that few hospitals do C-sections to earn more. These practices should stop immediately. Doctors should encourage women to go for a natural delivery. Though C-section is a big achievement for the medical field, it should not be followed when there is no valid need for it."