Nearly half of West Bengal births now by C-section, NFHS-6 shows

NFHS-6 data puts West Bengal's Caesarean rate at 44.5%, nearly double the 23.8% of 2015-16 and well above the national 27.2%. In Kolkata and North 24 Parganas it reaches 67.5%, about two in three births. Private facilities handle about three in 10 births but perform almost six in 10 C-sections, a major surgery with higher infection and bleeding risks.