Egypt currently has one of the highest cesarean section rates in the world, according to the Egyptian Health Council, ranking third after the Dominican Republic and Brazil, and the highest in the Middle East and North Africa, as of June 2025. While cesarean sections can be life-saving in certain situations, their rapid and widespread increase in Egypt is a cause of concern about the state of maternal care in the country, according to a 2023 study by Doaa Oraby, a public health consultant, about the increased prevalence of caesarean section in Cairo and Gharbia Governorates.. Growing Concern Over Maternal Health In 2005, fewer than one in five births in Egypt were delivered by cesarean section, also known as C-section. The rate climbed to 28 percent in 2008 and rose sharply to 52 percent by 2014. By 2021, it had reached a staggering 72 percent, almost five times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended range of 10 to 15 percent. According to Abla Al-Alfy, Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Health and Population for Population and Family Development, the rising cesarean rates are a troubling sign for the country’s maternal health…
