Experts raise concerns over spike in C-section deliveries in Delhi

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 19:04:00 +0000

C-section deliveries in Delhi have increased from 23.6% in 2019–21 to 27.4% in 2023–24, according to data.

Delhi has seen a sharp rise in caesarean section (C-section) deliveries, increasing from 23.6% in 2019–21 to 27.4% in 2023–24, according to National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data. Experts and doctors attribute the trend to factors such as preference for painless childbirth and medical conditions like obesity and diabetes, among others. However, they have also expressed concern over the rising rate, noting that C-sections also carry medical risks.

Delhi’s trend mirrors the national pattern, where the C-section rate rose from 21.5% to 27.2% during the same period.

The data also show a wide gap between sectors: 50.9% of births in private facilities were by C-section, compared with 19.6% in public facilities, raising concerns about possible overuse in the private sector.

Cause for concern

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that while caesarean sections are safe when medically justified, they carry short- and long-term risks, including for future pregnancies, especially in settings with limited obstetric care.

Doctors attribute the rise to a mix of medical and social factors. Dr. Tripti Raheja, Director, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, CK Birla Hospital, said delayed pregnancies are a key driver, with more women conceiving in their 30s and facing complications such as obesity, gestational diabetes, and hypertension that often require surgical delivery.

Dr. Manju Puri, formerly an obstetrician and gynaecologist at Lady Hardinge Medical College and now at SGT College, Gurugram, said patient preference is also contributing. “More patients are requesting C-sections for painless delivery, and doctors may not always strongly discourage this due to concerns about complications and potential liability,” she said.

She added that vaginal delivery is generally safer when there is no medical indication for surgery. “It becomes a concern when such demand spreads to areas with weaker health infrastructure,” she said, noting recent reports of maternal deaths linked to C-sections in parts of the country, including Kota, Rajasthan.

Doctors also flagged environmental factors. Dr. Payal Chaudhary, obstetrician and gynaecologist, said that while there is no direct causal link, poor air quality is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth, foetal growth restriction, and hypertensive disorders, which may increase the likelihood of C-sections.

Increasing demand

Praveen K. Pathak, professor at the Delhi School of Economics, called the trend alarming, noting that the WHO recommends C-section rates stay around 10% due to risks to both mother and infant. He added that higher rates in private hospitals could point to profit-driven practices.

Researchers say the key issue is whether every C-section is medically necessary, which is not always the case. “NFHS shows the trend, not the medical reasons behind each delivery. The rise is a signal for deeper investigation through audits, public-private comparisons, and studies on patient and provider choices,” said Apoorva Sharma, a researcher in medical and biological anthropology,

Experts say the way forward lies in improving accountability and patient awareness. Ms. Sharma called for better documentation of medical indications, stronger labour support, pain relief access, second opinions before non-emergency C-sections, and greater transparency in private facilities.

They emphasised the focus should be on appropriate use of the procedure, not restricting necessary care.

Published – June 11, 2026 12:34 am IST

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C-Sections On Rise As Indians In US Scramble To Beat Trump’s Citizenship Order

admin — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 14:23:06 +0000

New Delhi:

After he was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States Monday, Donald Trump signed an executive order ending ‘birthright citizenship’, a 127-year-old amendment to the Constitution that guarantees American nationality to children born there, even if neither parent holds it.

The order – which has already been contested, in separate lawsuits filed by a coalition of 22 states and civil rights groups – was the opening shot in what will likely be a flurry of laws that will alter, dramatically, the United States’ immigration landscape, which was what Trump promised his voters.

Just how that landscape will change is anybody’s guess; Trump’s flurry will also include a clampdown on what the Republican has said as illegal immigration along the southern border, i.e., with Mexico.

But one impact – on Indian families living in that country, specifically those on temporary H1B or L1 visas, which do not grant permanent residency – is already being felt.

The C-Section Rush

Doctors and gynaecologists in the US are reporting a sudden increase in the number of pregnant Indian women, on such visas, asking for a caesarean, to ensure pre-term delivery of their children; i.e., before February 20, which is when Trump’s new mandate goes into effect.

The rush is because children born before that date will be granted citizenship, while those born after will not, subject to one big condition – they will only become citizens if at least one parent is already a citizen or a Green Card holder. If not, then out they go, when they turn 21.

To beat that, a report by The Times of India quoted Dr SD Roma in New Jersey as saying the majority of women lining up for a caesarean are in their eighth or ninth month of pregnancy.

“A seven-month pregnant woman came, with her husband, to sign up for a pre-term delivery. She isn’t due until sometime in March,” she told the publication.

Another medical professional, Dr SG Mukkala, an obstetrician and gynaecologist in Texas, said he has been advising similarly desperate couples of the dangers of a pre-term birth.

“Complications include underdeveloped lungs, feeding problems, low birth weight, neurological complications, and more… in the past two days I have spoken to 15-20 couples about this.”

Why The Panic For Indians?

At the heart of this panic is the fact that Indians in the US on H1B or L1 visas, of whom there are several lakhs, had anticipated being able to reside there for decades and have children, who would automatically become American citizens. But now that door is slowly swinging shut.

READ | How Trump’s Day 1 Order To End Birthright Citizenship Will Impact Indians

This won’t impact Green Card holders, whose children can still, even after Feb 20, be born as American citizens, but the waiting list for that oh-so valuable piece of paper is long, very long.

In fact, a million Indians are reportedly stuck in that queue, and there is no new about if, or when, many of those applications will be processed and that list reduce.

What it will impact is the children of Indians living on work visas, who will either have to self-deport, i.e., voluntarily return to their home nation, or apply for a visa to remain in the US.

What it will further impact is the entire family, since many will, naturally, elect to return with their children. Trump has acknowledged this, saying, “I don’t want to break up families”, but also declaring, “The only way you don’t… (is by) sending them all back”, suggesting there is no backdoor available.

What Is Birthright Citizenship?

Anyone born in the US is considered a citizen at birth.

This derives from the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, which was added to the Constitution in 1868. The amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

EXPLAINED | What Is US Birthright Citizenship And Can Trump End It

There are an estimated 13-14 million immigrants living, illegally, in the US, and their children, if born in that country, are considered American citizens.

Can Trump Do This?

No president has ever tried to redefine the rules of citizenship using executive orders.

But Trump’s attempt to make history has put him on a collision course with the Supreme Court and, if that course holds, a landmark decision on who can, and who cannot, be an American citizen.

If courts decide to protect ‘birthright citizenship’, then only an amendment can change that.

But an amendment would require two-thirds of both houses and approval by three-quarters of state legislatures, a process that will likely take years, and that is something of which Trump will be aware.

This, then, is set to be a very long-term game, one that might extend beyond his second term.

The American Constitution has not been amended since 1992.

With input from agencies

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