Stop needless c-sections

Doctors and health experts at a roundtable yesterday urged the government to stop unnecessary caesarean deliveries (c-section), which have been growing in an alarming rate in recent years.

They urged health service providers to give more priority to natural birth and encourage expectant mothers and families in this regard.

Bangla daily Prothom Alo in association with “Stop Unnecessary C-section” organised the discussion at the newspaper’s office in Dhaka.

Speaking at the event, Ishtiaq Mannan, deputy country director of Save the Children Bangladesh, said mothers who have caesarean births face various health complications. It is also costlier, he added.

“Majority of doctors feel more convenient to handle caesarean birth,” Mannan said, stressing the need for doctors’ skill development on normal birth.

Noted gynaecologist Rowshan Ara Begum said the government needs to extend its [normal delivery] services and ensure quality treatment if it wants to stop the rising trend of c-section. She suggested increasing the number of community clinics, particularly in rural areas.

Prof Mohammod Shahidullah, president of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council; Abdul Quayum, associate editor of Prothom Alo; Shams El Arefin, a researcher of icddr,b; and Rashna Imam, a Supreme Court lawyer, also spoke at the event.