Sharp rise in C-section deliveries in Pune

Doctors and health officials attribute the rise in C-section deliveries to various medical and lifestyle-related reasons

Pune city has recorded the highest number of caesarean (C-section) deliveries this year with a total 26,850 procedures performed between April 2024 and March 2025, according to data from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department. Furthermore, the data indicates that in 2024-25, C-section deliveries accounted for 55% of all institutional deliveries in the city which includes deliveries in both public and private hospitals. However, most C-section deliveries were performed in private hospitals, officials said.

A few decades ago, only two to three out of every 100 pregnant women were reported to have conditions like diabetes and hypertension. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Doctors and health officials attribute the rise in C-section deliveries to various medical and lifestyle-related reasons. A few decades ago, only two to three out of every 100 pregnant women were reported to have conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Today, that number has surged to 18 to 20 out of every 100 pregnant women, leading to more pregnancy complications, officials said.

A senior health official from the PMC on request of anonymity said, “Due to morbid conditions like hypertension, obesity and diabetes, many expecting mothers face challenges during pregnancy. In such cases, doctors prefer caesarean sections to ensure the safety of both the mother and baby.”

According to PMC data, in 2021–22, there were more normal than caesarian deliveries in the city with a total 35,957 normal deliveries compared to 23,817 caesarean deliveries. However, the trend shifted in subsequent years. In 2022-23, there were 28,004 normal deliveries versus 29,103 caesarean deliveries. In 2023–24, there were 29,101 normal deliveries compared to 34,672 caesarean deliveries. In the last 11 months, the health department recorded 21,639 normal deliveries and 26,850 caesarean deliveries.

Dr Rajesh Dighe, assistant health officer of the PMC, said that C-section deliveries should only be carried out when medically necessary and indicated. “C-sections are recommended when there is a risk to the mother or baby, or when normal delivery is not possible. However, with the rise in maternal age, in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments, and health issues, more women are falling into the high-risk category,” he said.

Dr Dighe said that most C-section deliveries are performed in private hospitals. “Doctors tend to avoid risks in complicated cases and often opt for a planned C-section. The use of IVF and preference for painless labour methods have also contributed to this trend,” he said.

Dr Rajendra Shitole, clinical and academic Head at DPU IVF and Endoscopy Centre, Pune and FOGSI Member, informed that the most prominent reason behind the surge of C-section deliveries is the increasing age of conception.

“Women prioritise education, careers, and financial stability, pregnancies are often delayed into the late 30s or even early 40s. Later pregnancies, while entirely manageable with modern medicine, are often associated with higher risks, prompting obstetricians to recommend cesarean delivery for maternal and fetal safety. Another emerging trend is the preference for C-sections even in low-risk cases. Many urban, educated couples opt for a planned C-section to avoid the unpredictability of labor, reduce the perceived physical trauma, and ensure the presence of preferred medical personnel,” he said.

Dr Shitole further added, “There is also an increasing number of couples who are requesting cesarean deliveries at auspicious dates and times, based on astrological charts. Some parents believe that being born under a certain nakshatra or planetary alignment will ensure a successful future for their child. However, the mode of delivery should always be based on clinical need, not convenience or superstition. Unnecessary cesarean deliveries may carry increased risks of complications for both the mother and baby and longer recovery times,” he said.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than one in five childbirths globally (21%) now occur through C-sections and the rate is only expected to rise further with nearly 29% of all births predicted to be by C-section by 2030.