MANGALURU: At a time when Karnataka is witnessing a sharp rise in Caesarean section (C-section) deliveries, Dakshina Kannada has emerged as one of the districts with the lowest rates of surgical births at both government and private hospitals, according to data from the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal.
The district recorded a C-section rate of 39% in government hospitals during 2025-26, unchanged from the previous year and slightly below the state average of 40%.
In private hospitals too, Dakshina Kannada reported a rate of 39%, among the lowest in Karnataka and significantly below the state average of 64%.
The contrast is striking when compared with districts reporting much higher rates. In government hospitals, Chitradurga recorded the highest C-section rate at 81%, followed by Chikkamagaluru and Chamarajanagar (75% each), Gadag and Bagalkote (74%), and Hassan (73%). In private hospitals, Chitradurga again topped the list with 81%, followed by Tumakuru (80%), Vijayapura (79%), Chikkamagaluru (75%) and Gadag (74%).
Dakshina Kannada District Health Officer (DHO) Dr H.R. Thimmayya attributed the district’s relatively low rate to increased awareness among expectant mothers, improved healthcare services and better monitoring of pregnancies.
“Regular antenatal check-ups, counselling and timely follow-up have helped promote normal deliveries wherever medically feasible. Greater awareness among families has also contributed to reducing unnecessary surgical interventions,” he said.
Dr Thimmayya also credited some private medical college hospitals in the district that conduct free deliveries under their CSR initiatives. The availability of quality maternity care across both public and private sectors, he said, has helped ensure that C-sections are performed only when medically necessary.
The district’s performance stands out against findings of the recently released National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6), which showed that Karnataka registered the sharpest increase in C-section deliveries in the country. While the national average stands at 27.2%, Karnataka’s rate has climbed to 45.7%. Urban Karnataka reported a rate of 52.6%, compared to 40.2% in rural areas. Private hospitals recorded a C-section rate of 63.8%, nearly double the 34% reported in government facilities.
Dr Siri Ganesh, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at KMC, Mangaluru, said higher C-section rates in private hospitals are often influenced by patient preference and medico-legal concerns. Many expectant mothers from affluent backgrounds opt for surgical delivery to avoid prolonged labour and the uncertainties associated with vaginal births, he noted.
To address concerns over rising surgical births, Dr Thimmayya said the Health Department has constituted a committee to study hospitals reporting unusually high C-section rates. The committee’s report is in its final stages and will soon be submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, following which corrective measures will be considered.
