HYDERABAD: The deaths of five women in Niloufer hospital after undergoing C-Section has again thrown light on the risks of the procedure. C-Sections are common in the state, with the National Family Health Survey-4 indicating a whopping 58 per cent of all deliveries are Caesarian. While the procedure is unavoidable for some women, medical professionals say that there are also some who opt for the procedure.
It is common practice that people who believe in doing the ‘right thing at the right time’ try to ensure that a new member enters their family at an ‘auspicious time’ (muhurtam).
According to gynaecologists and nursing staff at hospitals, people insist on cesarean surgeries at particular muhurtams so that the baby will step into the world at an auspicious time and they want it to be accurate to the point of seconds (measure of time).
As any auspicious time will last only for a few days, they want doctors to induce labour pains for the baby to be delivered before ‘bad days’ set in. For example, if doctors give 11 days’ time for labour to begin, families want the baby to be delivered within seven days if auspicious time will lapse after that.
While it is well known that certain doctors charge extra fee for accepting such requests from families, gynaecologists working in government hospitals say that a decision on cesareans surgeries or inducing labour pains artificially is opted in certain medical situations.
Dr G Shobha, retired professor of obstetrics and gynaecology, Gandhi Hospital, says that when it is decided that delivery will be through C-Section, people choose the time. Doctors discourage C-Section if it is only for muhurtam, she claims.
Explaining the circumstances in which C-Section is taken up, Dr Shobha says, “Blood is supplied to foetus through placenta. When placenta is down and if the size of the baby is large, natural delivery is not possible and C-Section is recommended. There will be complications because of C-Section such as heavy bleeding and we will be alert about it. ”
Muhurtam or auspicious time is not the only reason. Some families cannot see their dear ones undergoing excruciating pains and ask for C-Section.
“Some ask for labour pains to be induced so that the baby will be delivered during ‘auspicious time’. But we discourage such requests,” says Dr Vindhya Gemeraju, consultant gynaecologist at CARE Hospitals.
There is no information that indicates that the women who died in Niloufer had opted for C-Sections for non-medical reasons.