by Atty. Rita Linda V. Jimeno
Some 30 to 50 years ago, giving birth by Caesarian section was a rare exception. Our mothers delivered most of us by natural means, sometimes with only a midwife assisting them, right in their homes. And to top it all, they gave birth to six or eight children, sometimes, to as many as 12. I myself, gave birth to four children, all by natural and normal delivery. Yet, my eldest had her umbilical cord coiled around her neck. My second and third, on the other hand were both in breech positions (buttocks or feet first). My obstetrician patiently and expertly managed to change the position of my babies without need of putting me under a Caesarian section delivery. I suffered no medical complication and all my children were born healthy.
These days, there is a global phenomenon that while mothers give birth to fewer children, many do so by Caesarian section without serious indications to justify it. The World Health Organization had warned of this boom, which, some experts claim to have reached pandemic proportions.
In the United States of America, the rate of births by Caesarian section is more than 31 per cent (31.8 in 2007). This means one of every three mothers give birth by C-Section. China has the world’s highest incidence of C-section deliveries with a rate of 50 per cent of all births. In the Philippines, like its neighbor countries—Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia—while there are no sufficient data to determine the actual rate of Caesarian births, there is evidence, according to a study by Mario Festin, Malinee Laopaiboon et al., that births by C-section have been on a steady rise.
According to the World Health Organization, the best outcome for mothers and babies appear to occur with Caesarian section rates of only five to 10 percent. Rates above 15 percent seem to do more harm than good, the World Health Organization said. (Athabe and Belizan,The Paradox, The Lancet 2006).
These days, in contrast to how it was 20, 30 years ago, most expectant mothers receive pre-natal care and have every reason to expect an uncomplicated delivery. Ultrasound tests enable their doctors to determine whether the fetus is in proper position; or whether the size of the baby’s head in relation to the mother’s cervix would allow for a normal delivery. Yet, the incidence of childbirth by C-section, which is a major surgery, keeps rising. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, there are clear and authoritative recommendations for a more judicious use of this procedure considering the short and longer-term adverse effects for mothers and babies.
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Topic: The rising rate of Caesarian sections:Unsa imoha opinion ani?Ngano man? (Read 2538 times)