Doctors advocate natural births, deeming them to be safer than Caesarean sections if there are no complications with the pregnancy or labour. Yet, nearly twice as many women in the UAE opt for C-sections than the 15 to 20 per cent figure considered optimal by the World Health Organisation. Often these are for non-medical reasons, such as choosing the date and time of birth or to avoid pain.
While the method of delivery generally should be a personal choice for mothers, women should be fully aware of the potential side effects of such an operation before making a decision to have one. Caesarean sections can have serious complications, including longer recovery time and a higher risk of infection, potentially life-threatening blood clots and adverse reactions to anaesthesia. This should be explained by doctors clearly in an early stage of pregnancy.
But as The National reported on Wednesday, not all doctors do that. Some even advise mothers to have a C-section without explaining the complications because it's more convenient for the medical staff. One woman, Khawla Al Naeemi, said she felt pressured to have a Caesarean because she believed her doctor had to attend a conference in Europe the following day.
In private hospitals, there may also be a commercial imperative at work. Mothers who give birth through a C-section tend to have longer hospital stays than those who have natural births. By staying as in-patients for longer, their medical costs – paid by insurance – are higher and so the hospital earns more.
Educational efforts such as the Hala Baby programme are important to empower women and prepare them mentally, psychologically and physically for labour. If the woman makes an informed choice – whatever it is – and there are no medical reasons not to follow her choice, it should be respected. No one can imagine how difficult it is for a woman to make such a decision ahead of a painful labour other than herself.
