SAEDNEWS: Fear of Childbirth Alters Attitudes Among Iranian Women; C-Section Rate Hits 56%, Says Head of Obstetrics Association
According to Saed News’ social affairs report, quoting Fars, a 23-year-old mother from the 2000s generation says, “I’m so terrified of natural childbirth that I don’t want to experience it. I feel like I could lose both myself and my baby this way.”
Soudeh Kazemi, head of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, emphasized on June 12 that fear of natural childbirth among mothers must be addressed, noting that “the cesarean section rate in the country is 56 percent.”
This is despite statistics from the Ministry of Health showing that Iran ranks among the top five countries globally in reducing maternal mortality during childbirth.
Obstetrician Sosan Kiani points out that one reason women increasingly prefer cesarean sections is the transmission of difficult childbirth experiences from previous generations. She explains that the experiences mothers shared with their daughters were often negative, “because 20–30 years ago, painless childbirth was not available in our country.”
Lifestyle changes and urbanization have also affected women’s anatomy, limiting their natural childbirth capacity.
Under Article 50 of the Family and Population Support Law, the Ministry of Health is required to allocate annual funding to hospitals to reduce cesarean rates by 5 percent compared to total deliveries.
According to global standards, cesarean sections should account for a maximum of 15 percent of all deliveries. High cesarean rates are not unique to Iran; World Health Organization data from 2010 to 2018 covering 154 countries and 94.5 percent of global live births show that 21.1 percent of women worldwide delivered via cesarean, ranging from 5 percent in sub-Saharan Africa to 42.8 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Obstetrician Nasrin Zarepour notes that cesarean delivery does not cause infection and adds, “Cesarean avoids labor pain and repeated medical examinations that might embarrass the mother.”
However, obstetrician Farahnaz Mohammadi Saadat warns that cesarean-related complications can affect mothers for years. She explains that cesareans may lead to anesthesia-related side effects and adhesions, sometimes necessitating hysterectomy due to placental adhesions, “resulting in infertility and deprivation of future motherhood.”
Experts suggest that promoting natural childbirth requires improving midwives’ skills and roles in healthcare networks, changing attitudes of women and expectant mothers, and increasing access to free painless deliveries in hospitals. Such measures could encourage more mothers to choose natural childbirth.
