Meghalaya to Investigate Rising C-Section Birth Rates

Shillong: Meghalaya will investigate why more women are undergoing caesarean sections. Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla confirmed the plan on August 28 during the final day of the Assembly session. He responded to pressure from Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma. The shift demands answers.

Sangma argued the trend looks unusual and requires a local study rather than broad comparisons with other states. He pointed to his own family history, noting that he and his siblings were born at home. He believes normal deliveries are dropping across the state.

Shylla defended the current medical practices while acknowledging the climb in surgical births. He insisted that doctors do not perform the operations without clear medical needs or complications. He cited changing fertility patterns and the physical health of expectant mothers as potential drivers for the numbers. Despite the rise, the minister noted the state rate sits below the national average. He pledged action to lower the frequency of these surgeries. "We will come up with every possible way to avoid C-section," Shylla said.