Here’s why C-sections in India need to be regulated

If you have had an emergency C-section like many other helpless to-be mums in India, here's a piece of news you'd be interested in.

A petition has been making rounds these last couple of days, which has been filed by Mumbai resident Subarna Ghosh that expresses concern about the rising number of caesarian births in India and urges the government to make it mandatory for hospitals to declare the number of C-sections they've had.

The petition that's making news

And that's not all in less than two weeks the petition has garnered around 87000 signatures including some by biggies such as Tv actress Shama Sikander and Purab Kohli.

Ghosh filed the petition after the hospitals refused to reveal their C-section rates with her.

“As someone who is pregnant and walks into a hospital, the first thing I want to know is what their C-section rate is. That is where I came from. That is where the petition comes from. Hospitals have to give the number to the government when the health survey is conducted, so it is not a state secret. I spoke to more than 100 women and I could see a pattern of complete dissatisfaction [in the maternal care they received]," she told a leading Mumbai daily.

While she sure is happy with the kind of response the petition has received, she hopes that some action is taken.

“Attention is paid to a lot of things and they fizzle out. This is a very pressing issue, the indiscriminate C-sections. [Declaring the C-section rate] is an achievable goal. Had I thought it was not, I would not have started the petition," she says.

Complications of a C-section

It's a known fact that C-section deliveries have a longer recovery period, but still most women opt for it as they don't want to undergo labour pain or when the doctor cites medical reasons for the same.

But, C-section rates have been growing considerably in the last couple of years, say reports. Last year the National Family Health Survey released data that showed that the private sector delivered babies by C-section at a rate double that of government hospitals across 15 states and Union territories.

Here are the risks associated with a caesarian section:

• Studies suggest that babies born through a caesarian section; are likely to develop breathing problems.
• Although rare, the baby could also sustain injuries during the surgical procedure.
• It can also lead to inflammation in the uterine lining of the mother that might lead to a foul-smelling discharge.
• The to-be mother could also have an allergy to anaesthesia or have a side-effect, the most common being a long-staying headache.
• The mother could also suffer from clotting of blood post the surgery in the legs or the pelvic organs.
• Post surgery, the vagina would be wounded and the mother might develop an infection if proper hygiene is not maintained.
• The C-section scar might take a long time to heal and sometimes it doesn't fade go away.

Also Read: Numbers of C-sections in India have gone up! Here’s why

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