Urbanization: Yet Another Dilemma, A Surging Caesarean Section Rate

Authors

  • Gulfreen Waheed Principal & Director DME, HOD & Prof of Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Avicenna Medical College & Avicenna Hospital, Lahore;
  • Nadia Zahid Prof of Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Avicenna Medical College & Avicenna Hospital, Lahore

Keywords:

Urbanization, Dilemma, Caesarean Section

Abstract

Urbanization makes us think about biodiversity loss, air, water, soil pollution, light and noise pollution and global warming. What's next on the charts? Interestingly, the trend of Caesarean Sections (C-sections) in our nation's urban scene is not just growing but soaring. The severity of the problem has led to the near synonymy between obstetricians and C-sections in Pakistan. Even though a C-section can save a patient's life when medically necessary, it is now the most popular elective obstetric surgery, sometimes done more for convenience than needed.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the caesarean section rate not exceed 10 to 15 %, barring serious obstetrical or medical complications.1 Ironically, C-section rates have continued to rise in all regions of the world across high-income, middle-income, and low-middle-income countries alike. Nations such as the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Cyprus, Egypt and Turkey report C-section rates between 50% and 58%. Similar tre-nds are observed across regions, including the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. If this increase cont-inues unchec-ked, projections suggest a global C-section rate of 28.5% by 2030.2

Pakistan mirrors this global crisis with the Pakistan Demographic Health Survey (PDHS)  2017-18 revealed a steep rise in C-section rates, 32% in urban areas compared to 18% in rural areas. Private hospitals perform far more C-sections (38%) than public facilities (18%). Alarmingly, C-sections are four times more frequent among highly educated women (49%) than uneducated women (11%).3 However, this increase in C-sections has not corresponded to improvements in perinatal mortality or morbidity, raising the critical question: Is caesarean section a necessity, or has it become a luxury?

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Published

30-09-2024

How to Cite

Gulfreen Waheed, & Nadia Zahid. (2024). Urbanization: Yet Another Dilemma, A Surging Caesarean Section Rate. Avicenna Journal of Health Sciences, 1(3), 60–61. Retrieved from http://avicennajhs.com/index.php/ajhs/article/view/47