C-section rising in private hospitals across states in India: Report

The Centre has formed an expert team to examine the state-wise findings of surgical procedures and informed the Parliament that there is an enormous rise of C-sections in private hospitals on Tuesday, as per reports. In response to a question, the Union Health Ministry said that an expert committee was constituted in December to examine the state-wise findings related to C-sections. 

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NFHS data shows C-section data of states 

According to reports, the National Family Health Survey has found that the least share of births by C-section in private health facilities was recorded in Nagaland, that is 23 percent, which means that C-sections were being overused by private health facilities in other states of the country. 

Cesarean sections should be performed only if there are complications in pregnancy that put the mother or the child's life at risk. 

READ | HC Refers To Medical Board Woman's Plea To Terminate 28 Week Pregnancy

Meanwhile, earlier this month, the Delhi High Court had allowed a woman's plea to terminate her 28-week pregnancy after a medical board constituted by AIIMS said her fetus can be aborted as it suffered from anencephaly, a condition where the skull bone is not formed, and was, therefore, incompatible with life. According to the woman's plea, "an ultra-sonography at the gestational age of 27 weeks 5 days found that the fetus suffered from anencephaly (skull bone not formed) thereby making it incompatible with life". The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1971 prohibits abortion of a fetus after 20 weeks of gestation. The woman has, therefore, also challenged the provisions of the statute which restrict abortions after 20 weeks. She had contended that with advances in technology it was perfectly safe for a woman to abort a fetus at any point during her pregnancy.

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