Nearly a third of all births in Switzerland are Caesarean sections, one of the highest rates in Europe, according to the latest data published by the Swiss Health Observatory.
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I parti cesarei in Svizzera sono ancora tra i più alti in Europa
The figures published at the beginning of April also show that C-section births are more frequent in German-speaking Switzerland than French-speaking Switzerland. For example, the lowest rate is 25% in the rural French-speaking canton of Jura, while the highest (41.7%) is in Zug, which is in German-speaking Switzerland and is also one of the richest cantons.
For some years now, hospitals have been working to reduce the number of C-section births that are not strictly necessary for medical reasons, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, Switzerland’s 32.8% rate in 2021 compares with only 20% in France, for example. The WHO puts the average rate in EuropeExternal link at 25.7 in 2018.
The big difference between the Swiss regions can be explained by a more intense change of culture in the French-speaking part of the country, cantonal doctor Eric Masserey told public broadcaster RTS in an interview on Wednesday. “It can be the consequence of different training, so it’s a form of culture and practice that can vary from one side of the country other,” he said.
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The rift between natural birth and on-demand C-sections
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When it comes to giving birth, for some women the process can't be natural enough while others request a C-section from the early stages of pregnancy.
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Particularly procedures that are not deemed necessary are causing the divide. It is an emotional issue that has hardened the fronts between advocates and opponents, who cannot even agree whether the current rate is too high or not. So what are the facts? The lowest C-section rates (19 per cent) are found in rural Jura,…
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