High rate of Caesarian births questioned

The operation is not without its risks, the magazine warned, noting there are strong regional differences between women in western and eastern Germany, where the procedure is not so popular.

In the Rhineland-Palatinate region of western Germany nearly every other baby is delivered by C-section, where as in Dresden it is every sixth child.

The figures come from a recently-released Bertlesmann Foundation study on the procedure, the magazine said.

The magazine questioned whether C-sections have become a “lifestyle” choice for certain women. It noted that C-sections carry many of the possible consequences of other surgeries, including infections and blood clots, but also have their own consequences like uterine complications and future fertility difficulties.

The World Health Organisation has said that C-sections should account for no more than 15 percent of births. The procedure is only needed if the fetus and/or the mother is in trouble, the WHO said.

The Local/mw