Live
- Bengal lottery scam: Huge amount of cash traced, ED brings currency counting machine
- Raj Thackeray releases MNS election Manifesto with a ‘key’ to implementing it
- Gold prices likely to further come down with no near-term positive triggers
- Tough decision, but it's the right one: Southee on Test retirement
- After caste census, Dalits, tribals, poor will recognise their true strength: Rahul Gandhi
- Who was Birsa Munda, whose 'Ulgulan' declared the end of British rule in Jharkhand?
- Logistic firm Delhivery’s profit tanks over 80 pc in April-Sep period
- Five selected as Indian Rhodes Scholars for 2025
- Raj Thackeray releases MNS election Manifesto with a ‘key’ to implementing it
- COP29: 3 methodologies approved for issuing high-integrity carbon credits
Move to reduce C section deliveries
The State government is planning to introduce birth companion initiative programme to reduce the caesarean section delivery rate and also initiation of breast feeding. The programme is likely to be introduced in all the government hospitals.
Hyderabad: The State government is planning to introduce “birth companion initiative programme” to reduce the caesarean section delivery rate and also initiation of breast feeding. The programme is likely to be introduced in all the government hospitals.
According to Health Management Information System – 2015 (HMIS) April to September data, the rate of caesarean section delivery is higher than the national average in Telangana State. While national average rate is around 15 per cent, it is 25 per cent in the State.
An official in the Health Department said, “The concept of birth companion is that a pregnant woman can be accompanied by a female companion, who herself is a mother, mother-in-law or sister into the labour ward to ensure that pregnant women feel more secure and comfortable when they have labour pains.”
In fact, the system has been in practice in Primary Health Centres (PHC) in rural areas for many years. A senior gynaecologist working in a government hospital said the anxiety on the part of the pregnant woman has adverse effect on the progress of labour.
The companion has to give emotional support to the pregnant women and give information about the stages of labour and to provide a comforting touch to the women. Studies have shown that allowing someone to accompany the pregnant into the labour ward has many benefits which include shorter labour period, administration of lesser medication and providing a feeling of security to the women.
Speaking to The Hans India, Dr Y Lalitha Kumari, Director of Public Health and Family Welfare said, “The companion will decrease postpartum depression. There will be fewer complaints of abuse, baby theft and change of baby.” She said after a pilot scheme in two emergency Obstetric Care Centres in Chennai, the Tamil Nadu government issued orders, allowing a female companion to accompany a pregnant woman into the labour ward in all government hospitals. The Punjab government too introduced birth companion scheme.
By V NAVEEN KUMAR
