The Times of India Hyderabad on 21/1 carried an editorial titled “Take it Easy” on a World Health Organization report on rising c-section rates in Asian countries, including India. While the WHO report mentions that in India overall, the c-section rate is 18%, in reality, if we take the urban and semi-urban population into consideration, the anecdotal rates are more like 80%.
At these hospitals mothers are not given adequate chance to go through labor – something that has been proven to be beneficial to both mother and baby. At many places rampant and unnecessary external intervention takes place even though there is no strong medical reason for doing so. Induction and ARM (Artificial Rupture of Membranes) are being used without adequate regard to its effect on mother’s condition, leading to many unnecessary C-sections.
Some conditions do require that a c-section be performed. However, except in case of a life-threatening emergency, a period of labor has been proven to help mother recover faster after birth because of the effect of hormones (such as Oxytocin) that are produced during labor. Studies also indicate reduced chances of respiratory distress in newborns and reduced risk of asthma in later life. I don’t believe that all doctors favor c-sections for money – however, most do not have the patience and the time to care for and support mothers throughout labor, which often lasts for more than 24, even 48 hours. Hospital practices leave mothers to fend for themselves after birth – very few hospitals teach how to breastfeed and allow for mother-baby bonding immediately after birth.
I sincerely believe that we should take the time to care for laboring mothers on a continuous and individual basis until mother and baby are ready to go home. By doig so, we have successfully challenged many myths at our birthing center (www.healthy-mother.com), including the one that says “once a c-section always a c-section”. Many of our mothers have given birth normally after a previous c-section. (Please see our Blogroll section for links related to VBAC.) All this has been possible because our midwifery model of care considers mother as the central figure in the birth process. Indian hospitals however view mother as a patient and birth as a surgical procedure.
I invite readers to share their birth experiences at hospitals in their area. Did your hospital provide you the respect, privacy and freedom to labor on your own terms? Have you been taken good care during postpartum? Did your hospital give you the right kind of support and teaching for breastfeeding your baby immediately after birth? Expectant parents should ensure that they make informed choices about where to give birth after researching all these aspects.
After all, you would not take even a relatively small decision like buying a washing machine without adequately researching manufacturers and models. And birth is a life-changing experience!
Dr. Vijaya