C-section deliveries rise across Karnataka, rural areas catching up with trend
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Bengaluru: A recent data shows a marked increase in the number of Caesarean (C-section) deliveries in Karnataka is increasing, both in private and government facilities. Rural districts that traditionally recorded higher rates of vaginal births are also following the new trend.
According to statewide figures accessed by Deccan Herald, as of September in the 2025–26 financial year, 63 per cent of deliveries in private hospitals were C-sections. Government facilities reported 40 per cent deliveries through c-section. In 2022–23, the corresponding figures were 60 per cent and 35 per cent. Contrary to the belief that C-sections are primarily an urban phenomenon, several districts in North Karnataka have now recorded higher rates than Bengaluru Urban.
Health department officials attribute the trend to changing lifestyles, reduced pain tolerance, and an increase in high-risk pregnancies. “Lifestyle in rural areas has changed significantly. Sedentary habits, malnutrition due to processed food consumption, higher BMI, hypertension, and diabetes among women have increased pregnancy risks, leading to more C-sections,” said Dr. Rajkumar N, Deputy Director, Maternal Health.
Doctors in rural areas also note a shift in perception among expectant mothers. “Many women believe C-sections are safer after hearing stories of complications during normal delivery in earlier generations. With improved medical facilities, they prefer a planned procedure to avoid prolonged labour,” said a government doctor from northern Karnataka.
In urban centres, the reasons differ. Doctors say career and educational priorities have led many women to delay pregnancy, increasing the likelihood of complications. “Older mothers face higher pregnancy risks, which often necessitate C-sections,” DH quoted Dr. Tasneem Nishah Shah, Lead Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Robotic Surgery at a hospital in Whitefield, as saying.
Many women choose scheduled deliveries due to beliefs about auspicious timing or concerns that vaginal birth could affect sexual satisfaction later. Experts say these misconceptions, along with fear of labour pain, have contributed to the normalisation of elective C-sections.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
