Caesarean Sections Are More Likely For Private Patients

Private female patients who have their babies in public hospitals are more likely to have caesarean sections than those who are treated publically according to new research.

The Irish Independent reports that out of 71, 231 Irish births in 2011, 27 per cent of women underwent a caesarean section.

One quarter of public patients had a C-section but the figure rose to 36 per cent for private patients based on new information released by the ESRI.

Irish hospitals are under pressure to reduce the amount of women undergoing caesarean sections as complications can include blood clots, infection, injury to the bladder, uterus or bowel, excessive bleeding and longer recovery time.

27 per cent of all births are C-sections according to research from the ESRI

Prof Michael Turner of the Coombe maternity hospital in Dublin said: "These findings are not surprising and are well described in high-income countries worldwide.

"The rates have risen in all the OECD countries over the last decade and, where information is collected, it is higher in private patients than public patients."

He added: "I would caution against a simplistic analysis because scientifically there is no single easy explanation for the rising rate worldwide.

"There are many influences on rates, such as the mother's age, obesity, improved antenatal diagnosis of fetal problems, advances in maternal safety, a woman's previous obstetric history, a previous caesarean section and increased rates of gestational diabetes.”