Telangana leads in caesarean births

India's top experts and activists on birth related subjects took part in the celebrations of 'International Day for Midwife' in Hyderabad on Sunday at LV Prasad Films Lab at Banjara Hill.

Present at the event were Subarna Ghosh, an activist campaigning to make hospitals publicly declare their caesarean numbers; Dr M Prakasamma, founder of SOMI (Society of Midwives, India), a national professional organisation with 10,000 members; and Ruth Malik, an Australian living in India founder of Birth India, a non-profit body; Dr Viajaya Krishnan, founder of 'The Sanctum', the center of natural birth and Dr Jayanthi; Dr Archana from Apollo Hospitals.

They also participated in the panel discussion organised to mark the occasion moderated by journalist and film maker C Vanaja.

Dr M Prakasamma shared that Telangana leads in India in caesarean births. Subarna Ghosh said, "When talking openly about sex and vagina is a taboo, what empowerment are we talking.

I am being treated criminal for campaigning to make hospitals publicly declare their caesarean operations numbers.

Why should so many women die for normal, physiological process called pregnancy and birth. If you want to have normal delivery, Midwife is key Subarna Ghosh."

Dr Archana said she being a medical doctor, begged for a normal birth. "Doctors unfortunately today are not equipped to handle normal births."

When doctors have not seen aorhandled single normal delivery during their MBBS course, how are they going handle normal births asked moderator Vanaja. Babies are brought in to this world unnaturally, told Dr Vijaya Krishnan.

The panelists have also opined that natural births as a subject must be included in medical education and curriculum.

The event was well attended by over 200 people, midwife professionals, doctors, mothers, moms to be etc.

The film 'Birthing with Love', one of its kind in India was launched and screened for the guests. The film is aimed to change our understanding of childbirth.