Negative stories and fear of natural birth are pushing pregnant women towards caesarean sections, according to new research.
The Health Research Board study notes that the number of C-sections being carried in Ireland has increased five-fold over the last 40 years.
It said more than a third of Irish births now involve C-sections, compared to less than one-in-ten in the 1980s.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Dr Siobhán Corrigan, Assistant professor at the School of Psychology in Trinity College Dublin said there are several explanations for the ongoing rise – including high induction rates, a lack of knowledge among pregnant women and fear of complications.
She said ‘negative stories and fear about natural birth in the media’ are pushing women towards C-sections.
“There is that expectation and fear and that sort of erodes trust in midwifery-led care which pushes women towards this highly medicalised pathway,” she said.
“So yeah, there is a feeling that a lot of women are opting for elective sections, particularly around that fear factor.”
Caesarean section
She said that while it is critical to note that C-sections are ‘life-giving procedures that can be a critical intervention for the safety of the mother and child’, there are, “in comparison with vaginal birth, a number of downsides”.
“Particularly in relation to longer recovery time, higher healthcare cost and the increased rate of severe maternal or perinatal morbidity or mortality.”
Education
She said the researchers are hopeful that increased education for pregnant mothers could lead to a decline in elective c-sections.
“The intervention is to empower pregnant women, particularly first-time women and women that had a caesarean section the first time, to tell them they are still able to have a vaginal birth the second time.
“A lot of this is around education practices and giving people the information - the evidence-based information - that vaginal births are the safe option.
“So hopefully, even raising awareness of the risks associated with caesarean sections is a very critical first step.”
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