In order to bypass labor pain and get quick results, a number of mothers voluntarily opt to go under the knife. But not always it’s the mothers who get to deicide, hospitals often call shots to make extra bucks.
In Kashmir C-Section is preferred over the natural birth for being quick. The patients don’t have to undergo the labor pain, which can last for up to 36 hours. But there are some cases where C-Section is the only option to save the life of baby and the mother.
Caesarean section rates in the maternity hospitals of Kashmir have witnessed an abnormal rise over the considerable period of time. The harmful effects of caesarean section rates on maternal and newborn have been found by research. According to research, Caesarean sections can cause significant complications, disability or death, particularly in settings that lack the facilities to conduct safe surgeries or treat potential complications.
Statistics with reference to deliveries at Kashmir’s largest Maternity Institute, Lal Ded Hospital in Srinagar clearly point out an increase in the rate of caesareans. In a decade, the percentage share of Caesarean Sections in deliveries has risen from 45 to 60 percentile. Even in private hospitals of Kashmir 75 to 80 percent deliveries take place by caesarean section only. This high percentage of Caesarean section across the valley based hospitals according to medical experts is a worrying facet.
The reasons behind the upward trend in caesarean section in Kashmir are multiple- Rising age of marriage. Small family norm, non availability of labour anesthesia and continuous fetal monitoring. Also to add to it the fear of labor pains rising litigations against health care professionals are main reasons behind rising caesarean sections in Kashmir.”
It is good to say the right thing at the right place, but it is much more important to leave unsaid the wrong thing at a tempting moment. All pregnant women are at risk of complications, out of total pregnancies about 15% develop the complications who may require hospitalization for medical and surgical intervention. Globally every minute at least one woman dies from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth that means 5, 29,000 women a year.
As a matter of fact, higher rate of maternal morbidity is associated with Caesarean Sections compared to natural births. WHO notes a maternal mortality rate of 20 per 100,000 births with Caesarean Sections, while the figure stands at just 2.5 per 100,000 births for normal deliveries in US. Pertinently, there is a risk associated with anesthesia. Not to mention the immediate and delayed complications of surgeries.
The reasons for this worrying trend are varied. The medical records will be misleading as they often cite the indication of caesarean section as EMERGENCY INTERVENTION in face of maternal or fetal distress. But in most instances it is a different story. There are many instances where the real reasons are often Non-Clinical (like profit motivated, Self-decision of pregnant females, increased pressure on doctors by administrators to conduct caesarean sections) and there is a need to introspect as early as possible so that we are able to decrease Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Neonatal Mortality Ratio(NMR) to the lowest possible figures in near future. These results are the alarming signs for the Government to introspect why there is an increasing trend of caesarean section both in Government as well as private hospitals which has not only put unnecessarily women of child bearing age on increased risk of morbidity and mortality from caesarean section but also the newborns have to face the brunt of it by getting neonatal complications.
Jeelani Saima Habeeb can be reached at saimahabeeb786@gmail.com
