Date: 2017-03-15

An Ilorin-based matron, Mrs Saratu Bello, has urged pregnant women to stop endangering their lives by seeing Caesarian Section (CS) as a curse.

Caesarian Section is an operation in which a woman's body is cut open to take a baby out.

Bello told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that many expectant mothers had lost their lives, after refusing CS when the need arose.

"Giving birth through CS is not a death sentence, and the earlier expectant mothers know this, the better for them.

"They should know that before medical personnel decide to carry out CS on any pregnant woman, it is to save the life of either the mother or child, or both of them.

"But when you want to remain adamant that you must give birth only through vaginal delivery, caution needs to be taken," Bello said.

The matron said she was moved to speak up on the scourge when mothers-to-be started praying against it during their ante-natal sessions.

"I became surprised that it is now like a norm, because they (pregnant women) now pray against it during ante-natal.

"What they say is that they want to deliver like the Hebrew woman, so, I know it's a societal belief, which has to be erased. "That made me see it as a point of duty to educate them more, on the need for them to allow things take its due course," the matron said.

Bello said it was surprising that some Nigerians still remained in the Dark Age regarding CS, when some expectant mothers willingly opt for it in other countries.