Caesarean sections (CS) births are continuing to increase globally as more women pick this option voluntarily during labour and delivery.
This is a surgical process which involves the extraction of a newborn through an incision in the mother’s abdomen.
In Kenya, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), C-section births doubled from 9% to 17% in recent years.
Despite a vaginal birth being deemed safer by doctors and this procedure commonly being done during emergencies, C-section is slowly becoming a modern option for some women. Thus, this trend is popularly now known as C-section-on-demand.
A major reason why more women are choosing C-sections is due to more older women having babies. According to a recent study by the National Library of Medicine over the past 30 years the birthrate for women aged 35 to 39 has gone up to 40%.
A growing share of women, because of work or financial considerations, are delaying having children until their 30s or 40s. As a result, doctors are seeing more and more pregnancy problems linked to age.
These problems include high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and uterine muscles that are not as flexible making it more likely that these women would choose to have a C-section.
Choosing a C- section for some women could also be due to aesthetic reasons. They may be concerned that giving birth vaginally could cause stretching, weaken their pelvic floor or change their sex life. For them, scheduling a C-section seems like a way to stay confident about their bodies.
Social media has also popularized this trend as more celebrities and influencers document and rave about their easy, planned deliveries and fast healing times. Their perfect Instagram feeds lead women to see C-sections as safer, more fashionable and better than giving birth naturally.
Additionally, some women, especially those having their first baby are afraid of labor pain, a fear called tokophobia and may choose to have a C-section to feel less anxious.
Other women who have had a hard time giving birth the first time might also want a C-section for their next pregnancies as it seems safer and easier than natural childbirth.
Advancement in medical technology has also jumped up this trend. As more women are becoming infertile due to environmental factors, In vitro fertilization (IVF) is being seen as a rising hope.
The increase in IVF births leads to more planned C-sections, because after putting so much emotional energy and money into IVF, many women and their doctors would rather have a C-section because it feels like a safer and more controlled way to give birth.
On top of that, in some cultural and religious belief systems, particularly among some Hindu groups, families might plan a C-section so that their baby is born on a specific date or time.
This is based on their belief called ‘Muhurat’ that entails being born on a ‘lucky’ day to bring good fortune throughout the baby’s life. A planned C-section permits these families to coordinate the birth with what they consider more favorable timings.
It is important that all women can be supported in choosing the kind of delivery that is right for them, but this trend is somewhat alarming.
According to health experts, C-sections may be safer now, but it is still a major operation with side effects that include infection, a longer recovery time and potential difficulties for later pregnancies.
