Ministry of Health: Egypt Ranks Highest for Global C-Section Rates

At the launch of a new obstetrics and gynaecology course designed to better prepare Egypt’s doctors for treating midwifery-related health issues, and in light of the fact that Egypt has the highest rate of caesarean sections worldwide, Deputy Minister of Health and Population Dr. Abla Al Alfi affirmed the government’s intention to reduce the number of caesarean sections performed on women in Egypt.

At the launch event, attendees stressed the importance of reducing C-section rates, which more often lead to complications and threaten the mother’s health. In Egypt, the high rates of non-natural births in Egypt result in between 20% and 25% of newborns requiring neonatal care, as opposed to an average rate of 10% worldwide.

The rates of intensive care required for both newborns and mothers following C-sections is also significantly higher, and subsequent births following a C-section are far more likely to be premature - the rate of premature births in Egypt is more than double the global average.