Hyderabad: Maximum C-sections and normal babies are born during morning and mid-afternoon hours, according to data assessed from medical records, showing a high morning pattern in births. The data shows that 20 per cent of the babies are born in the most popular week than in the least popular ones. They are generally born in the mornings and before noon and there is a rush, mostly on Mondays, when the number is slightly higher than other weekdays.
Dr Vimee Bindra, consultant gynaecologist and laparoscopic surgeon at Apollo hospitals, explained, “It is not only C-sections, but any kind of surgeries are planned in the morning, as there is always a complete workforce in terms of doctors, nurses, staff and also easy availability of blood and easier management of complications. These are the reasons that most babies are born during morning hours. A C-section is an elective case, a planned surgery and it is justified medically. But this does not hold true for natural labours and emergency cases where there is no set time for childbirth.”
Doctors state that normal induced birthing where the labour pain goes on for hours, is often found to “deliver” during morning hours and only in a few cases in the late evening or night. Dr Sridevi I, senior gynaecologist at a government hospital explained, “We find that most patients are approaching hospitals during the morning hours as they know that there are senior doctors during that time. Only emergency cases get taken up in the evenings.”
The late evening child C-section births are found to cause problems, like late arrival of anaesthetist, lack of staff and problems in procuring blood. Dr Geeta Naidu, senior gynaecologist, explained, “There is a major challenge of doctor-patient ratio, but that does not mean deliveries are not done in the late evening or night. Emergencies are handled as and when they arrive.”
Rich opt for ‘mahurat’ babies:
‘Mahurat Baby’ is a major demand where the baby’s time of birth is decided by astrologers. This time is then passed on to the doctor who insists that the birth must be carried out during that time only. Dr Hema Diwaker, senior obstetrician and gynaecologist explained, “Doctors are pressured by high-end paying clients that the child must be born according to a particular time only. They are not willing to listen to the medical reasons and are clear that only during this time will the child have a good future. But with the government of India now asking for an explanation from gynaecologists over the increasing C-sections, we are trying to explain to them but many of them are very adamant.”
Another senior doctor on condition of anonymity explained, “Despite counselling the patient and their relatives which are in huge numbers, they are adamant that the time of delivery must be according to astrological beliefs only. Many of them are adamant and openly state that if their demand is not met they are willing to change the doctor and the hospital. But what the family fails to understand is the plight of the mother and her offspring. Due to these kind of episodes after the first round of counselling if the family does not agree, we simply go ahead with them as for us the health and care of the pregnant mother is more important.”
Due to these kind of pressure tactics, a section of gynaecologists tell the pregnant mother, father-in-law and also mother-in-law on Day One of consultation that ‘they do not carry out the demand of mahurat babies’. A special counselling is carried out by the hospital that astrological considerations must not be enforced on them and they will only follow the medical condition and deliver the babies. It has been tough for many but their patients have been loyal and returned accordingly. But this number is very few compared to many others who state that they have no option but to succumb.
