Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Dec 27: The number of C-section deliveries have increased drastically in rural areas of Karnataka since 2019. Experts say that lack of facilities in primary health care centres is the reason for the rise.

Karnataka health report of 2019-2021 shows C-section deliveries increased in the districts of Kolar, Chitradurga, Bengaluru rural, Shivamogga, Udupi, Mandya, Hassan and Davanagere.

In Tumakuru, 52.1% babies are born via C-section, which is highest in the state. The number is 43.16% for Bengaluru rural. This is 13.16% more than Bengaluru city.

Dr N Rajkumar, deputy director of division of quality of health of mother and children, said, “Karnataka has 32% average (public and private) C-section rate of deliveries. Compared to other south Indian states this is a good rate. The main reason is less fear of the surgery and also reduction of possibility of death of mother and child during the delivery.

“According to national family health survey, Telangana recorded 60.7% C-section deliveries, while Kerala and Andhra Pradesh recorded 42.4% of C-section. More C-section rate might be reason for more referrals in outstation areas. In some cases, when experts are not available at taluk level, doctors resort to caesarean. In private hospitals, a woman already suffering from labour pain is operated upon through C-section to prevent the reduction of death,” he said.

Dr Silvia Karpagam, public health doctor and researcher has highlighted the difference in secondary health system. She says that lack of experts or fundamental infrastructure in public health centres of rural areas, forces people to go to distant places for delivery. So the families want to get the process done faster through C-section. She also expressed concern about the lack of knowledge of females undergoing C-section delivery.