MEP of the Political Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Mr. Dimitris Papadakis, submitted a written question to the European Commission, concerning the high rates of caesarean sections in Cyprus.
Mr Papadakis, in his written question, says that Caesarean sections in Cyprus in 2020 amounted to 61% of total births, while the accepted limit by the World Health Organization is up to 15% of the total population. It is noted that the average number of caesarean sections in the EU does not exceed 30%
The MEP stressed that it is generally accepted that by medicalising childbirth, we are interfering with the normal chain of events. Any abnormal intervention weakens/affects the mother and the newborn, both physically and psychologically. At the same time, various studies have demonstrated the effects, both on a pathological and psychological level.
Furthermore, he pointed out that the proper information of pregnant women and the provision of optimal medical care is imperative.
Considering the above-mentioned data, Mr. Papadakis addressed the following questions to the European Commission:
Is there a single European policy to be adopted by public and private hospitals in order to achieve the reduction of caesarean sections?
Is there a European strategy to promote natural childbirth?
Has any action been taken to reduce the number of unnecessary caesarean sections in EU Member States?EU Member States and in particular those with high rates, such as Cyprus?
Have specific national action plans for the reduction of caesarean sections been developed by the EU Member States themselves?Is there a pan-European system for recording the percentage of caesarean sections performed by each doctor or each hospital?
[/I][/B]Lastly, he asks whether, on the altar of an easy solution, doctors are encouraging pregnant women to have a caesarean section. For the above we expect answers from both the Ministry of Health and the Pancyprian Medical Association.
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