Thursday, May 22, 2008

Crime by women against women

There is enough evidence to show that delivering the fetus by C-section [involves surgically opening the abdomen and uterus and taking the live fetus out] carries increased risk to the mother and the child when compared to normal vaginal delivery. It is also known that higher the economic status of the woman the higher is her chances of getting a C-section done. This is also true in urban set up rather than in a rural set up. The percentages vary but in urban India it is 42% and above [Madras study]

There are definite indications for this procedure. Some of them are small pelvis, abnormal fetal position, delayed labour, fetal distress, maternal distress, wrongly placed placenta etc. These constitute around 2 to 5% of the pregnancies and the procedure is life saving in these. But what about the rest? If it is medically unnecessary why is it being done?

Here are some sordid facts

Surgical delivery in contrast to normal vaginal delivery means use of operating theatre, anesthesia, and increased duration of hospital stay. All this mean more money to all the parties concerned.

The obstetrician can deliver the baby at his or her convenience instead of waiting for the natural child birth to occur which may happen at an inconvenient time [to the doctor]

It is easy to convince the mother to agree for the caesarian section.

One can thus come to the inevitable conclusion that these deliveries are done because of greed and convenience and not for valid reasons in a high percentage of cases.

Majority of obstetricians are women

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why just women against women ? It is men against men, individual against individual and, for that matter, Corporations against patients too !It is a known fact that MRIs and other expensive tests are made when a " horse and buggy " doctor would have recommended bed rest. In today's world money is King. Scruples, honesty and principles are found only in books !
Seetharam

G.D. said...

The main reason for increased C-sections in the cities is 'Obstetrician's Distress'- which is caused by the doctor's greed for money,pressure of relatives of the patient- who are "Internet-educated',fear of patient to bear the labour pains,So-called "Precious Pregnancy" in the metros[1-2 child norm] etc.
I have come across lady obstetricians themselves opting for C-section during their pregnancies!!
All of these & much more make it easier for convincing for LSCS.

G.D. said...

The dowry menace & bride-burning is a more apt case of "Crime by women against women"!