The rate of Caesarean section operations performed varies dramatically among Irish hospitals, ranging for a quarter of births at some to just one in eight births at others, according to survey results published yesterday.
The greatest percentage of Caesareans were performed at Kilkenny's St Luke's Hospital (25 per cent). Other hospitals confirming high Caesarean rates included St Munchin's, Limerick (24.58 per cent), Mount Carmel, Dublin (23.4 per cent) and Cavan General Hospital (24 per cent).
At the opposite end of the scale, Caesareans accounted for just 12.5 per cent of births at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin, 14 per cent of births at Letterkenny General Hospital and 15 per cent at Longford-Westmeath General Hospital.
The figures were compiled by Cuidiu, the Irish Childbirth Trust, which sent questionnaires to the State's 24 maternity hospitals. The average rate of Caesarean sections in 1998 was 17.8 per cent, based on replies from 23 hospitals.
Tralee General Hospital was the only one which refused to give details on the number of Caesareans performed there in 1998, noting that this was considered "not to be appropriate for publication".
The results of the questionnaire are contained in Preparing Together for Birth and Beyond - A Consumer Guide to the Maternity Services in Ireland, published by Cuidiu yesterday. It provides details of the services provided by the 24 maternity hospitals/ units and 12 independent midwives.
The figures on Caesarean sections and other procedures provided expectant mothers with an indication of the level of intervention and birth management which occurred at a hospital, the Cuidiu PRO, Ms Paula Gahan, said. "We did not set out to find the best or worst place to have your baby," the Cuidiu president, Ms Sue Jameson, said. Introducing the publication, Senator Mary Henry said it provided consumers with information about healthcare. This was a welcome development, as nothing was worse in medical matters than rumour, she said.
The senator noted that about 70 children were born in Ireland annually with spina bifida and that this number could be halved if the Government moved to fortify Irish flour with folic acid.