Rising Caesarean Section Rates in Assam: A Closer Look

The latest National Family Health Survey indicates a significant rise in Caesarean section births in Assam, with urban areas seeing rates as high as 46.7%. This increase raises concerns about the implications for maternal and infant health. While some of the rise can be attributed to legitimate medical needs, non-clinical factors such as convenience and financial motivations also play a role. The survey highlights disparities between private and government hospital practices, revealing that private facilities have much higher C-section rates. This article delves into the statistics and explores the factors contributing to this trend, providing insights into the evolving landscape of maternal healthcare in Assam.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 1, 2026, 08:32 IST

Increasing Caesarean Deliveries in Assam

Representational image

Guwahati, June 1: Recent data from the National Family Health Survey 6 reveals a significant rise in Caesarean section births in Assam, with urban areas reporting a rate of 46.7% and rural areas at 20.7%.

This marks a notable increase from the previous survey conducted between 2019 and 2021, which recorded 22.9% in urban settings and 18.1% in rural regions.

In private healthcare facilities, the rate of C-section deliveries is alarmingly high, reaching 85.1% in urban areas and 80.2% in rural areas.

These figures have also risen from the earlier survey, where the rates were 81.4% for urban and 70.6% for rural areas.

In contrast, government hospitals show much lower rates, with 29% of births in urban areas and 16.5% in rural areas being delivered via C-section.

Nationally, the figures are considerably lower, with approximately 57.4% of births in urban private hospitals and 52.2% in rural private hospitals being C-sections.

In neighboring Meghalaya, the rate is only 36%, while in England, it stands at around 45% of all deliveries. Assam's private hospital C-section rates are only higher than those in Tripura, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Historically, Caesarean deliveries were uncommon, even in specialized hospitals, where obstetricians were trained to handle normal deliveries in complex cases, such as breech births and twin pregnancies.

However, over the last three decades, there has been a marked increase in C-section rates across India, particularly in the private healthcare sector.

A senior medical professional attributes part of this rise to genuine medical needs and improved access to emergency obstetric care, which has contributed to lower maternal and infant mortality rates.

Nonetheless, research indicates that non-medical factors may also play a role in this trend, including fears of litigation, convenience for healthcare providers, financial incentives, a decline in skills for assisted vaginal births, and women's preferences for scheduled deliveries to avoid labor pain.

Studies suggest that babies born via Caesarean section may face a higher risk of temporary respiratory issues and variations in their early microbiome development.

In Assam, private hospitals typically charge over Rs 1 lakh for a C-section, which includes room and other associated costs.

The survey also highlights that the percentage of institutional births in Assam stands at 95% in urban areas and 86.9% in rural areas. Interestingly, the rate of institutional births in public facilities has decreased from 75.6% to 61.5% in urban areas, while rural areas have seen an increase from 74.4% to 76.9%.