Chandigarh, July 16 -- Nearly two out of every five deliveries in the city were conducted through caesarean section, revealed the sixth National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2023-24, released recently. Caesarean section is a surgical procedure performed to deliver a baby, commonly in high-risk pregnancies for the safety and wellbeing of mother and child.

The survey found that 36.1% of births in UT, both in private and government hospitals, took place through surgical procedures. This was nearly 5% more than the caesarean births recorded in the city in 2019-20. Nationwide too, the trend showed an upward climb.

The rise has been particularly sharp in private hospitals, where caesarean deliveries increased from 44.3% in 2019-20 to 65% in 20...