The cost of C-section in Nigeria is around N150,000 -N200, 0000 Naira but this price is not fixed as it varies for hospitals, locations, surgeons, and the prevailing circumstances.
Now let us discuss factors that affect the cost of C-section in Nigeria.
1. Hospital
Is it government owned or private. Public hospitals do caesarean section at a cheaper rate compared to private hospitals. For example, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), LUTH, and central hospital, Benin-city do C-Section for around 140k while Lily hospital do caesarean delivery for as high as N300,000 to N350,000 naira.
2. Location
Your location determines the price of CS. C-section is more expensive in the cities than in the rural areas. Hospitals in cities like Port Harcourt, Abuja, Lagos, Benin-City, Enugu, Akure, Abeokuta, Ibadan and Kano charge higher for CS than those in rural areas. For instance, the average cost of CS in Lagos metropolis is #160,000 naira campared to the 100k in the its surburbs. This does not mean you should go to the village to have a CS delivery.
Credit: npr
3. Emergency or Elective
Emergency C-section is an obstetric emergency that requires urgent surgical intervention to save both mother and baby e.g. obstructed labour, fetal distress, placenta previa, breech pregnancy. Elective CS is not an emergency, it is planned between the woman and the doctor. Emergency CS is more expensive and can go as high as 300k depending on the hospital. Elective CS is at a lower rate compared to the former.
4. Antenatal, did you book you pregnancy with the hospital
Hospitals as a tradition, charge women who did antenatal care with them less. In the private medical centre I work for instance, CS for our booked pregnant woman is about 120k, it is a culture for all hospitals including teaching hospitals. It may not always be the case though.
5. Were you transfused?
Some women may require transfusion during and after caesarean delivery especially in emergency CS and this adds to the cost. A pint of blood cost around N12,000. Some women may require up to 4 pints of blood during and after the CS procedure. Add this up and you will get 48k. Money for transfusion is not part of the surgery fee. However, for elective cases, you may discuss it with your doctor to include it in your final bill.
6. Drugs
Good thing is most hospitals include drugs cost in their C-section fee. Others that doesn’t are very few. In special cases, please note that the cost of special drugs like Rhogam for Rhesus incompatible mother and baby, and hepatitis B immunoglobin for hepatitis b exposed baby (hepatitis B positive mother) will be footed by the couple and as it is not part of the surgery fee unless otherwise discussed and agreed.
7. Hospital stay
Normally, patients who had C-section are discharged within 48 – 72 hours. Women who stay longer in hospital after delivery pay more. This not not mean you should discharge against medical advice (DAMA). Most women that have long hospital stay have emergency and complicated C-section. Be guided.
8. Others
Other determinants of the cost of C-section in Nigeria are the anasthestist fee, type of anasthesia, surgeons fee, history of previous CS, medical condition of the woman (hypertensive, diabetic, asthmatic), multiple gestations (twin), and rapport with the doctors and nurses (in private hospital)
Watch a C-section video below for educate you on how it looks like. A short video.
Recommended: Cost of a pint of blood in Nigeria
Thank you.
