The c-sections too rare or too common in countries (WHO)

AFP

Wednesday, 24 January 2018 18:54

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Wednesday, 24 January 2018 18:54

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PARIS | births by caesarean section are too rare in some countries, especially in Africa, and all too common in others, for example, in Latin America, have been observed by researchers in a study led by the WHO and published on Thursday.

This study published by the medical journal BMJ, and coordinated by the world health Organization, examines 72 countries during the period 2010-2014. It excludes the richest of the planet.

“There were large inequalities between countries, with national rates [of caesarean section] ranging from 0.6% to South Sudan to 58.9% in the dominican Republic,” said the authors.

In sub-saharan Africa, caesarean section is very little practiced, for example in Chad (1.5% of births) in Burkina Faso (2.1 per cent) in Côte d’ivoire (3.1 percent) or the democratic Republic of the Congo (5.5 per cent).

It is very common in countries such as Egypt (55.5 per cent), Argentina (43.1 per cent) or Colombia (36.9 per cent).

Overall, more women are poor, they give birth vaginally. Caesarean sections are more prevalent among sub-groups more easy, which is often indicative of abuse”.

In many countries, social inequalities translate directly into the type of delivery.

In the dominican Republic, for example, among the 20% of the richest women, 81% gave birth by caesarean section. Among the 20% least wealthy, they are only 41%.

The reasons for these variations are “complex”, according to the authors.

Where caesarean sections are too rare, this appears to be due to “a shortage of qualified medical personnel and health facilities, costs for the parturient, or cultural beliefs about the value and the dangers of a caesarean section”.

Where they are too frequent, the authors speak of many factors, both structural (such as financial incentives or fear of legal risk) or personal (fear of pain, scars, questions of social status).

According to the WHO, a normal rate of caesarean sections, from a medical point of view, is between 10% and 15%.