Nearly 75% of first-time mothers had C-sections at Sligo hospital in February

The rate of first-time mothers giving birth via caesarean section was 73.5% in Sligo University Hospital during February.This was noticeably higher than other hospitals across the region, with Letterkenny University Hospital on 35.5%, Galway University Hospital on 44.6% and Mayo University Hospital on 46.3%, while it was also a large increase on Sligo’s own figures from the month previous, with 48.9%.The HSE have commented to OceanFM News that the overall caesarean section rate for SUH in 2024 was 41.6%, and that decisions regarding a caesarean section are made collaboratively between consultant obstetricians and their patients.Krysia Lynch, CEO of the Association for Improvement in the Maternity Services Ireland, was highly concerned over the percentage: