Increasing Trends of Caesarean Deliveries in India: Does Private Sector Contributes It?

Abstract

Caesarean deliveries are increasing worldwide at the faster rate. Although it can save lives of mothers and babies, but caesarean section is often performed without medical need, putting women and their babies at-risk of short and long-term health problems. Why C-section deliveries are increasing? Whether private health sector has any role in it? The present paper tries to answer all these questions through examining the patterns and determinants of caesarean deliveries and to understand the reasons for opting caesarean delivery in India. We used NFHS-4 data collected from 29 states and 6 UTs of India in 2015-16. Binary logistic regression models are used to understand the determinants of caesarean delivery and emergency caesarean deliveries in India and its States. Results reveal that the caesarean section deliveries in India has increased rapidly, it is more than a five-fold increase from NFHS-1 (1992-93) 3 percent to 17 percent in NFHS-4 (2015-16). There are huge state variations in C-section deliveries ranges from 6 percent in Bihar to 40 percent in Andhra Pradesh. About half of the states are above the national average of C-section deliveries in India crossing 20 percent mark as against 17 percent in India. Mother’s age, Mother’s schooling, Religion, Wealth Quantile, Mothers Height, ANC visit, size of the birth, pregnancy complications and place of delivery were statistically associated with caesarean section deliveries in India. Undeniably, majority of C-section deliveries were performed in the private sector, it clearly indicates that the private sectors are playing an important role in increasing the C-section delivery in India.