Sunday, April 17 2005 13:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concern over the increasing rate of caesarean deliveries in India and several other countries, alleging that doctors aiming at financial gains were among the factors contributing to the practice that has risks of its own.

"Throughout the world, caesarean section rates are increasing, with the exception of the African region, caesarean section rates in the urban areas of most countries are now well above 10 per cent; they are on increase in rural areas as well," the World Health Report 2005 said.

Though a life-saving intervention in cases of obstructed labour or other indications, caesarean carries risks and can lead to morbidity of its own, the report said.

Besides, "it also leads to what are often major and at times catastrophic expenditures for clients," it said.

Yet in some countries the number of women delivering by caesarean section is increasing beyond all reasons, it said warning that it meant in many countries, most of these interventions are carried out for non-medical reasons without clear health benefits.

The report said that in many rich countries such unnecessary interventions carry very little risk, but elsewhere the potential for unintended adverse consequences for both infant and woman are very real.

According to the report, caesarean sections in urban India were less than 10 per cent of births in 1993, which jumped to almost over 20 per cent in 2003. Even in rural India caesarean deliveries have more than doubled during the period.

"The causes are complex, but doctors creating demand for their own financial gain certainly contribute to the epidemic," the report said.