Punishing doctors for performing C-sections would be pushing them into dangerous waters, as the implementation of proposed penalties would possibly discourage obstetricians from advising caesareans even if they were the best option.
Cyprus Gynaecological and Obstetrics Society president Dr Afroditi Elisseou-Xenofontos said “we disagree with the whole reasoning.”
The health ministry and the Health Insurance Organisation have prepared a plan to incentivise gynaecologists and obstetricians to perform natural births instead of caesareans, with those performing C-sections over a certain quota to be penalised.
“They want to intervene in a clearly medical act, which is dangerous,” she said.
In statements to the Cyprus Mail, Dr Elisseou-Xenofontos explained that “the time may come when doctors need to perform a caesarean and may decide not to.”
She said the society and other involved parties were “still in deliberations and we have not yet prepared our final answer.”
Their answer, she said, should be submitted by the end of the month.
“We disagree with the whole reasoning. Other actions must come first. One must find the reasons C-sections are performed and guidelines could be given. A lot could be done and incentives could be given instead of disincentives,” she said.
Dr Elisseou-Xenofontos said “most doctors, we believe, perform C-sections for clearly medical reasons.”
“In some cases, it is also the wish of the woman. Also, some colleagues take on high-risk pregnancies, so caesareans are more common,” she said.
The society’s president said her “main message is that the increase of caesareans is multifactorial, it is a worldwide phenomenon and should be addressed as such.”
“Why should they punish the doctors? Start off by educating people, setting criteria, seeing what is going wrong,” she said.
