How number of Caesareans has doubled in 20yrs

Obesity and older mums drive surge

SOARING obesity rates and a rise in older mothers have fuelled the doubling of Caesarean births in Scotland in the past two decades.

Almost 9,000 mothers-tobe decided to have a Caesarean section last year without the clinical need to have one.

Doctors are concerned that too many women are opting to shun natural births for planned medical procedures.

The World Health Organisation advises a maximum of 15 per cent of births should be by Caesarean section but most countries exceed this limit.

In Scotland, latest figures show Caesareans account for 34.5 per cent of births, compared with 31 per cent in England and 28 per cent in Wales.

Experts have attributed the rise to higher obesity rates and women giving birth at an older age. Consultant obstetrician Dr Alastair Campbell, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: ‘Two contributing factors to this trend are the rising rates of obesity and an increase in maternal age of those giving birth.

‘These factors can lead to an increased chance of Caesarean birth as this may be safer for mother and baby.’

Dr Campbell added the majority of planned Caesarean births were for medical reasons. There were 8,884 elective sections last year – where the surgery had been planned in advance – up from 4,285 in 2001. The number of emergency Caesareans rose from 7,526 to 9,359, despite the total number of births falling, according to Public Health Scotland.

Consultant obstetrician Dr Rosie Townsend, a senior clinical research fellow at the University of Edinburgh, said an increasing number of women were having their first child by Caesarean. This leads to them being more likely to have later children by the same method.

The largest group of women planning the procedure had either had a Caesarean before or had a difficult delivery with their first pregnancy. Dr Townsend said the number of C-sections was also rising due to women having babies older, slightly heavier and with more health complications.

She added: ‘We know that Caesarean section rates are really rising in a lot of areas of the world and what we’re seeing in Scotland is really consistent with rises in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.’

The World Health Organisation said the procedure ‘can put women and babies at unnecessary risk of short and long-term health problems if performed when there is no medical need’.

The Scottish Government said: ‘A rise in the rates of Caesarean section is not unique to Scotland. Caesarean section rates have steadily increased throughout the world over the last three decades.’

‘Unnecessary risk of problems’