Why some pregnant women still refuse CS – Gynaecologists

Because of cultural and religious beliefs, maternal health specialists have advised pregnant women with narrow pelvises to avoid denying caesarean section deliveries.

The doctors cautioned that attempting a vaginal birth through a restricted pelvis is linked to numerous difficulties that may result in the mother's and the child's deaths.

When a typical delivery might endanger the mother's or child's life, a caesarean section is frequently required. High blood pressure, twin pregnancies, and obstructed labour are some conditions that may require the treatment.

Other complications include breech birth and placental or umbilical cord issues.

The mother's pelvic shape and the history of a previous caesarean section may determine whether or not to undertake a caesarean delivery.

Experts state that a pregnant woman with a narrow pelvis has little chance of delivering her baby vaginally and should be recommended for a caesarean section.

In an interview, Solomon Avidime, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, stated that pregnant women with narrow pelvises are usually not very tall by nature.

But depending on the size of their child, he said, women with small pelvises could still give birth vaginally.

"The woman can still have a vaginal delivery when the pelvis is small and the baby is small," the gynaecologist stated. Thus, the baby's size matters a lot in this situation. If the baby is large and the mother's pelvis is narrow, it won't be wise to allow the baby to pass through that small pelvis.

“Occasionally, we encounter women who will refuse CS if it is offered to them as a way to aid their delivery.
However, due of their cultural and religious convictions, they decline such an offer.

Because things would have become worse by the time they agreed, some of them tragically lost their children. Usually, they result in something undesirable.

"Now, obviously, if a woman who is scheduled to give birth via CS refuses, she cannot give birth on her own, and even if she does, there will be problems and a risk that the baby will not survive. The mother may also get injured, bleed, or even pass away.

Avidime made the observation that certain infants who were pushed out of a narrow birth canal may develop malformations in the future.

"You've seen babies who were delivered improperly and now have injuries to their hands or legs. According to him, babies born to short women will not be able to pass because of their narrow pelvises.

According to experts, CS is a medical treatment intended to save the lives of moms and babies when women have problems during pregnancy or childbirth.

They claim that in order to lower the rate of maternal fatalities and meet the Sustainable Development Goal on maternal health—which calls for bringing the rate of maternal mortality down to fewer than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030—better access to and availability of caesarean sections throughout the nation is essential.

According to the World Health Organisation, in nations where at least 10% of women have caesarean sections, the number of maternal and newborn deaths decreases.

Nigeria’s latest maternal mortality ratio is 512 per 100,000 live births, as contained in the National Demographic and Health Survey 2018, which shows that the country has a long way to go in meeting the global health target by 2030.

Avidime further said, “In some cultural settings, women still want to deliver babies by themselves despite the high risk of complications.
Education, however, will go a long way towards assisting people in realising that a woman does not necessarily have to be weak to have a caesarean delivery because there are a number of justifications for doing so.

"The babies may not always be able to pass through the birth canal due to their size, weakness during labour, or improper lying technique."Therefore, CS is suggested in certain situations in order to preserve the woman's and her child's lives.

The gynaecologist said that obstructed labour is a significant cause in the high rate of maternal and newborn fatalities in Nigeria, in addition to bleeding and high blood pressure.

He stated that women who need the surgery should have access to the availability of CS, noting that many pregnant women and their husbands frequently turn down CS due to financial concerns.

He claimed that this had resulted in several preventable deaths of women and their infants, particularly in rural areas.

As a result, he urged the government to build a comprehensive healthcare facility where women may easily access CS and blood transfusion services in every political ward in the federation.