WHO warns against unnecessarily resorting to C-sections

London: World Health Organization (WHO) has said that Caesarean sections should be performed only if medically required, as it carries health risks for both women and their babies.

According to the WHO, though the procedure does save lives in case of obstructed labour, two new studies have shown that in countries where they account for more than 10 percent of births, "there is no evidence that mortality rates improve," the Guardian reported.

According to the National Institute of Healthcare and Clinical Excellence (Nice), a caesarean procedure was more likely to put a baby in intensive care, women longer in hospital, with the risk of hysterectomy or a cardiac arrest.

However, as per it's 2011 guidelines, women can opt for caesarean if they want, even if it not for medical reasons.

The WHO said that "Across a population, the effects of caesarean section rates on maternal and newborn outcomes such as stillbirths or morbidities like birth asphyxia are still unknown. More research on the impact of caesarean sections on women's psychological and social wellbeing is still needed."