Caesarean delivery is mostly done for money, private clinics avoid normal delivery

Caesarean delivery denotes abnormal delivery for a pregnant woman, now a days this trend of child birth is notably on the rise. There may have many delivery cases that need Caesarean, but much complaints are filed up all over the country as the procedure costs huge for the concerned particularly for the poor and the middle class families.

Twenty-nine-year-old Sonya lives in  Hulain village in Patiya upazila of Chattogram district along with her family. Recently her husband Ashesh admitted her to a private clinic for her delivery. After the admission, the doctor said that the condition of Sonya was not good and the movement of child was little. So, it needed Caesarean operation urgently.
 
The doctors told Ashesh that they would have to pay Taka 40,000 including operation theatre (OT) charge, cabin charge and other expenses. Ashesh agreed to go for caesarean. After that, he went out to manage money. But when he returned, he heard that the doctors took his wife to OT.
 
Ashesh said, “When I asked why they took my wife to OT, they issued a threat to him saying he could take away his wife to any other hospital. Their behaviour was very rough. But I was helpless.”
 
Ashesh was not alone but there were many who experienced the same.
 
According to latest data of Bangladesh Demography Health Survey (BDHS) and Bangladesh Maternal Survey, about 35 lakh children are born every year in the country. Of them, about 35 percent child is born through normal delivery.
 
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), 10 to 15 percent children are born through caesarean in a country while the rest are born through normal delivery. But the scenario of Bangladesh is little horrible.
 
About 47 to 48 percent delivery through caesarean take place in different hospitals of the country while 12 to 15 percent in public hospitals, four to five percent in NGO hospitals and the rest caesarean take place in private hospitals which is 84 percent.
 
Gynaecologist Dr Monowara said the delivery through caesarean has been reduced significantly at country’s public hospitals. But, it has increased in country’s private hospitals which is not a good sign. About 75 percent delivery through caesarean is unnecessary, she added.
 
She said the death rate of mother should have decreased fewer than 70 by 2030 as per the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
 
Sources said the rate of delivery through caesarean in public hospitals has decreased significantly. The number of normal deliveries is high in the Mother and Child Health Center of Directorate General of Family Planning and the number has increased during the COVID-19 situation.
 
Director and Line Director (MC-RH) of the directorate Dr Mohammad Sharif said a total of 1,87,070 children were born at different centers of the directorate between March 2019 and March 2020. Of them, 1,78,375 children were born through normal delivery and 8,461 children through caesarean procedure and 234 children through forceps and vacuum breach systems, he added.
 
He said a total of 1,72,004 children were born from March 2020 to February 2021. Of them, 1,66,619 children were born through normal delivery while 5,016 children were born through caesarean and 369 children through forceps and vacuum breach systems.
 
Dr Monowara said many doctors of private hospitals don’t want to wait for normal delivery. If they stopped the trend then the number of normal delivery will be increased.