Brazil acts on high Caesarean section rates
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Brazil has launched a campaign aimed at radically reducing the number of Caesarean section births, in response to new evidence of excessively high rates – extremely high in the private sector – and concerns over the risks the procedure entails. A survey collating 2006 data, commissioned by the health ministry, reveals that 43% of all births are by Caesarean section, but under private health insurance schemes, the proportion was fully 80%, compared to 26% across the national health service (SUS). The latter rate is the proportion threshold recommended by the World Health Organization.