UAE doctors highlight cultural and healthcare divide for caesarean section

doctors describe caesarean section UAE procedures claiming nationality and use of public or private healthcare influence decision-making.

Caesarean section rates have tripled globally, from 7% of all births in 1990 to 21% last year, WHO The study found. It is estimated that by 2030, nearly a third of births will be delivered by caesarean section.

According to health experts in the UAE, expectant mothers mostly prefer natural births, and more foreign expectant mothers choose caesarean section.

A C-section is when the baby is delivered through an incision in the mother’s abdomen and uterus.

They are often essential, such as in cases of prolonged or obstructed labor or fetal distress, but concerns have been raised about the number of women choosing this procedure to avoid labor pains or lifestyle reasons.

“I’m from Abu Dhabi, where most locals want a normal birth,” said Dr. Surekha Pai, a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology at the NMC Royal Hospital in Dubai.

“They’re planning to have more than one child and know that it’s the first birth that determines all future births.

“Expats want C-sections mainly because they are planning to have one or two deliveries and don’t want to endure the pain and wait for a long delivery.”

She said expecting mothers were educated by staff about the benefits of natural childbirth and urged to avoid major surgery unless it was reasonable to do so for health reasons.

Concerns about global rise

The WHO says a 10% to 15% caesarean section rate is optimal, with higher numbers taxing resources and exposing patients to greater health risks.

A 2019 study by the Global Health Agency of 22 countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region showed that the UAE has a 24% caesarean section rate, slightly higher than the global average.

In Iran and Lebanon, the rates are 48% and 46%, respectively, while new data released by health authorities in Egypt shows that cesarean sections accounted for 72% of all births last year.

Dr Amber Syed, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at HealthBay Polyclinic in Dubai, said doctors often do not encourage patients to have a C-section rather than a natural delivery unless it is in the best interests of the patient.

But she said the public and private sectors are doing things differently.

“C-sections are often more expensive than normal births … and normal births can happen at any time,” she said.

“If you have a C-section, you can plan it, you can do it in the morning, and it’s done.

“So, there is definitely that drive, but it’s the same for any private healthcare facility. So not just in the UAE, but anywhere in the world.

“Having said that, there are huge differences in practice. In my own practice, I’m very pro-nature, and I’m less than 10 percent…but some doctors are 50 to 60 percent.

“You will find that there is a difference in charges between public hospitals and private hospitals because public hospitals are not driven by profit.”

Health insurance will only cover a caesarean section if a doctor reports it is medically necessary.

One in three newborns delivered by caesarean in Abu Dhabi hospital

Since 1977, the Abu Dhabi Corniche Hospital, operated by the Abu Dhabi Corniche Hospital, the company responsible for managing the emirate’s government-owned medical facility, has delivered around 300,000 babies.

Caesarean sections currently account for about a third of births there.

The facility’s CEO and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Paul Bosio, was pleased with the figure, as it is a hospital that provides specialized care in this area.

“When you look at caesarean section rates, you need to consider the number of patients a provider is caring for,” he said.

“We have a disproportionate number of complex pregnancies referred to us because they are high risk. Our rates are affected by the fact that we are a tertiary maternity hospital that has more complicated pregnancies than anyone else.

“So, for me as a tertiary hospital, the rate is comfortable for me. If I’m just looking after a normal pregnancy and not a provider with a lot of complications, then I’d like to get a lower rate.

“I think the overall C-section rate is mixed. I might say we’re in the mid-to-high range, but it’s not that high.

“If you look at the global data reported by the World Health Organization, the range of caesarean section rates around the world varies widely from country to country.

“Compared to most developed countries, the overall incidence rate in the UAE, and Abu Dhabi in particular, is generally average, but even here there are large differences between hospitals.”

Updated: 10/8/2022 5:21AM