C-section delivery rises massively, says BIDS

CS delivery is massively booming in Bangladesh but its cost is unnecessarily high, found a study by Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

CS delivery increased rapidly in Bangladesh from 4 per cent in 2004 to 33 per cent in 2018, almost eightfold while the annual percentage change was 16.34 per cent, the study said.

BIDS conducted the study titled ‘Massive boom of Caesarean Delivery in Bangladesh: A Household Level Analysis (2004-2018)’ which was revealed at a seminar in the capital on Wednesday.

BIDS Director General Dr Binayek Sen moderated the seminar and BIDS Population Studies Division Research Fellow Dr Md Abdur Razzaque Sarker presented the study.

The highest average cost of caesarean section (CS) delivery in private hospitals (Tk 30,557) is in the Sylhet division. On the other hand, the lowest average cost (Tk 15,705) is in Rajshahi Division, the study said.

In public hospitals, the highest average cost of CS delivery (Tk 17,837) is in the Sylhet division while the lowest average cost (Tk 7,031) is in the Rangpur division, it said.

The study also said that the average C-section cost was Tk 20,061 while the average cost of home delivery and institutional normal delivery was Tk 1,378 and Tk 5,632 respectively.

“The average cost per CS delivery was much higher in private hospitals and clinics than in public hospitals. The average cost in public hospitals is Tk 13,622,” the study said.

However, the study said most CS took place in private hospitals and clinics in Bangladesh which may indicate the supplier-induced demand for CS delivery in Bangladesh.

The study unearthed that CS delivery has increased sharply in rural areas in Bangladesh.

“C-section among urban mothers was at 12 per cent in 2004 and which rose to 44 per cent in 2017-18. CS delivery was only 2 per cent in rural areas which jumped to 29 per cent in 2017-18,” the study said.

The annual percentage change of CS delivery was 10 per cent among urban mothers while it was 21 per cent for rural mothers, it said.

The study observed that CS delivery was higher in private facilities (46.2 per cent in 2014 and 52 per cent in 2017-18) than in public facilities (12 per cent in 2014 and 10.6 per cent) in 2017-18.

A number of factors such as maternal age, maternal and paternal education, working status of the mother, maternal BMI, age at first pregnancy, ANC utilisation, administrative division and wealth status had a significant impact on the growing rate of CS delivery in Bangladesh, the study said.