Caesarean section rates have been increasing world-wide raising
the question of the appropriateness of the selection of cases for the
procedure. This paper examines the levels and correlates of delivery
related complications and caesarean section deliveries in eighteen selected
states of India in terms of specific maternal and institutional factors,
using data from the National Family Health Surveys, 1992-93. Goa (15.3
per cent) and Kerala (13.7 per cent) were the two states with relatively
higher caesarean section rates. There is reason to believe that the current
caesarean section rates are part of a rising trend. This can not be attributed
entirely to the rise in institutional deliveries alone because of the strong
association between caesarean sections and private sector institutions.
Apart from the fact that the states of Kerala and Goa are having relatively
high caesarean section rates, in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat,
Karnataka, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh the risk of undergoing caesarean
section in the private sector institutions is four or more times that in the
public sector. It is possible that this extremely useful surgical procedure
is being misused for profit purposes in the private sector in several states.
There is therefore a need to examine this phenomenon using disaggregated
data by the nature of caesarean sections, i.e. whether it was
an elective or an emergency c-section along with the reasons for the
choice.
JEL Classification : I1, I18
Key Words: caesarean section, institutional deliveries, delivery
complications, medical interventio
