Birth in hospital, unnecessary interventions (Ecuador)

The increase in the number of caesarean sections in the world is particularly striking in Latin American countries like Ecuador, whose figures almost double those for Spain: 41% of those born in Ecuadorian maternity units between 2010 and 2015 were by caesarean section.

22% of women in Ecuador give birth at home, and this proportion is higher in indigenous settlements, whose young women are taking longer than expected to use maternity hospitals because they are afraid of being subjected to caesarean section.

Those who keep up a good relationship with their traditional midwives go to them to have the foetus repositioned after a scan diagnoses a bad position, thus avoiding caesarean section. The health authorities are also worried about the rate of caesarean sections. It is interesting to point out that there is no qualification to become a professional midwife in Ecuador.