HC seeks Centre's reply on guidelines for cesarean operations

The Delhi High Court today sought the Centre's response on a plea seeking direction to frame appropriate guidelines for cesarean sections to safeguard the reproductive health rights of women and children.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath also sought to know from Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Delhi government's health and family welfare department if there is any guidelines regarding such procedure.
The court asked the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to file its counter before September 7 on a plea which also alleged that "absence of guidelines is leading to violation of reproductive health rights of women".

Advocate Vikram Srivastava, appearing for NGO Independent Thought, submitted that "complete absence of any regulation through law and the increasing rate of cesarean section deliveries based on extraneous considerations and in complete violation of the right to health and reproductive rights of all women in India".
The NGO has sought appropriate guidelines for conducting cesarean operations on pregnant woman and to regulate and monitor quality norms and standards therein in all hospitals in India.
"Issue necessary directions to Union of India to bring on record the actual status and number of cesarean section deliveries in different states," the plea said.

It further urged the court to direct the governments to "constitute commission of inquiry on the circumstances in which the average birth by cesarean section in private hospitals of Delhi, is as high as 65.54 per cent, against 20.65 per cent in the government hospitals of Delhi, and where the WHO norm allowed for birth by cesarean section is between 10 to 15 per cent of the total deliveries".