The number of women who have Caesarean sections by choice now outnumber those having emergency sections at the biggest maternity hospital in the west.
Of the 3,144 women who delivered at the maternity unit of Galway's University College Hospital (UCHG) in 2003, 791 of them or just over a quarter of the births were by Caesarean section.
According to the unit's latest annual clinical report published by the Western Health Board, 408 of these Caesarean sections were elective and 383 were emergency.
The unit's Caesarean rate of 25.2 per cent in 2003 was an increase of seven percentage points in the five years since 1998 and up from 23 per cent in 2002.
The UCHG report states: "For the first year, the number of elective Caesarean sections has actually surpassed the number of Caesarean sections done on emergency basis. This is a clear reflection of obstetric practice in recent years in developed countries".
It predicts Caesarean section rates will continue to rise.
"Because of the increasing rate of emergency Caesarean sections, the number of women having had a previous Caesarean section is increasing and hence the increased rate of elective Caesarean sections.
"It may also reflect other issues such as patient request for Caesarean section, a greater tendency to offer Caesarean section for women who have had a previous Caesarean section and the practice that is currently accepted for elective Caesarean section for breech presentation," the report said.
"These figures suggest that while this trend continues, Caesarean section rates can only rise further into the future," it added.
The number of women whose babies were induced at UCHG fell slightly from 33.2 per cent in 2002 to 30.5 per cent in 2003.
While the report said there has been a gradual reduction in the induction rate over the last four years, the rate remains "at the higher end of reported rates for various hospitals".