Childbirth | Rising cost of motherhood
Pregnancy care is now more institutionalised and monetised in India than ever before, leading to ill-advised C-sections, non-essential tests that hog hospital resources and luxury maternity services for the affluent and anxious
Illustration by NILANJAN DAS
ISSUE DATE: Sep 14, 2026 | UPDATED: Sep 4, 2026 20:03 IST
At the outpatient department of a private hospital in Delhi, a young, eight-month pregnant woman (name withheld) is in tears, pleading with her gynaecologist to perform a Caesarean section. There is no medical emergency, nor is the baby ready. It’s just that she wants her child to share a birthday with her late father.