Slight fall in caesareans at top hospital
ALTHOUGH THE rate of caesarean sections carried out in one of the country's biggest maternity hospitals fell slightly last year, more than a quarter of babies were born there through this method.
The annual report of the Rotunda shows a slight decline from 27.7pc to 27.1pc of births through caesarean section last year.
In the past decade Irish hospitals have been criticised for carrying out too many caesarean sections and accused of giving in to pressure from women who were "too posh to push" and reluctant to give birth naturally.
The report said the fall was due to a "rigorous audit" of the rate of caesarean sections in the hospital which is now carried out regularly.
This allows it to evaluate the factors which influence a caesarean section being carried out. More than three out of four cases of multiple pregnancy were delivered by caesarean section. According to the report 37pc involved women who had previously given birth by this method.
Rotunda Hospital Master, Dr Michael Geary, said 2007 was the busiest in the hospital's history with 8,456 births to 8,257 mothers, a 15pc rise over 2006.
The majority of pregnant women diagnosed with Hepatitis C or syphilis in the Dublin city hospital last year were unaware of the infection until they had ante-natal screening.
A high percentage of pregnant women who had HIV or Hepatitis B also only became aware they were infected when they were already pregnant.
The hospital has a special clinic for women with infectious diseases. The report said that of the 287 women booked into its special clinic last year 89 had Hepatitis B, 67 were positive for Hepatitis C, 48 had HIV and 32 were were found to have syphilis.
Infection
As many as 71.8pc of women with syphilis only found out they had the infection when tested during pregnancy -- the majority were from Eastern European countries.
The report highlighted the dilemma faced by doctors on whether or not to resuscitate immature infants, particularly those born at 23 or 24 weeks. These babies have a high risk of handicap. The survival rate in infants under 24 weeks has been 65pc over the past five years.
"There has also been an increase in twin births. On one occasion in December there were 52 babies in the 36 bed neonatal unit," the report revealed.
- Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent
