New Delhi, April 5 (PTI/GNA -) Expectant mothers are at risk when they undergo Caesarean section which has assumed alarming proportion in the country with doctors, especially in private hospitals, favouring the procedure.

"Any surgery could become hazardous and could lead to major crisis. With Caesarean this is the risk if the procedure is not carried out by competent obstetricians," said Dr Dermot MacDonald, former Director of the Dublin-based National Maternity Hospital, which is one of the largest maternity hospitals in Europe.

Speaking on "Can Obstetricians reduce the epidemic of Caesarean", the professor, who is the visiting faculty at Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, said in India the procedure has taken alarming proportions.

"In India it has been estimated that around 80 per cent of the cases are done through Caesarean Section. There is a diminished vaginal operative delivery and a four to six fold increase in Caesarean births.

This is alarming," said MacDonald, who delivered the lecture on the invitation of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Delhi,

Indian Society of Perinatologist and Reproductive Biologist and AIIMS here.

According to WHO, the Caesarean Section should be 15 per cent. "There is a dramatic increase in abdominal birth particularly in the low risk mothers and among those in the higher socio-economic groups," he added.

"Caesarean section is more common in private hospitals in India. Doctors are driven by commercial reasons as the procedure costs more as compared to natural birth," he said.

Favouring natural births, MacDonald said units undertaking care of women in childbirth should provide modern method of pain relief and should counsel them if they request for Caesarean Section about the risks involved.

Stressing the importance of providing factual information to expectant mother, including the risks of any operative procedure and any birth process, he said it is the obligation of the doctor.

"Obstetricians have the obligation to give information to the expecting mothers. The decision should be of the mother, but she should be given all information," he said. Strongly recommending collection of accurate data by each hospitals on how many Caesarean Sections they have done, he said frequent reviews should be conducted which will help in controlling the procedure. Little is known of the psychological effects of various birth processes in relation to baby bonding and mother and child relationships, he said. "It is worth studying the psychological effects of the birth process on a mother, especially if she has gone through the procedure. It should be explored what are its impact on her sexuality, her relationship with her husband and her family," he said. April 5, 07