Society
50% women choose caesarean birth in China
By Zhao Chunzhe (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-01-28 10:51
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Nearly half of all pregnant women in China choose caesarean births making the country the highest in the world for the procedure, according to a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the People’s Daily reported today.
The WHO suggests caesarean birth rates should be no higher than 15 percent. China’s caesarean rate used to stay at five percent between 1950s and 1970s. However, it has rapidly increased since the 1980s.
Most Chinese women choose caesarean birth due to the fear of pain or hoping to give birth at a chosen time, like having the operation delivered at eight minutes past eight as eight signals dubbed “have a fortune” in China.
Plus, only children of at least six years before September 1 are permitted to be admitted to school in China, which also make mothers-to-be choose a caesarean birth. August is a busy month of caesarean operation, the report said.
