C-secs top normal deliveries in private hospitals in 10 of 18 states

The normal delivery is no longer normal in private hospitals. In 10 of the 18 states (including the UT of J&K) for which the National Family Health Survey 2019-20 data has been released, C-sections accounted for a majority of deliveries in private facilities, and in three of them, for over 80%. The data shows that the trend has only worsened in almost every state in the four years between the earlier survey and this one.

Despite West Bengal and J&K having the highest C-section rates in the private sector, 83% and 82% respectively, the overall share of C-sections in the two states was 32.6% and 41.7% as most deliveries happened in public facilities where the rates were much lower.

The overall C-section rate in Telangana was over 60%, making C-section the new normal for deliveries in the state. Almost half of all institutional births in Telangana happened in the private sector, where the C-section rate was 81.5%. The state also had the highest C-section rate (45%) for public facilities.

Barring a few states, the proportion of C-sections went up sharply in both private and public facilities since the last survey in 2015-16. The highest jump was in private facilities in Assam, where C-sections went from 53% to 71%.