One day after floating the idea of putting limits on the number of planned caesarean sections, Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews said the province will not be delisting the procedure from OHIP.
"We are not delisting C-section procedures. Evidence will guide our decision making process," she told reporters Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, Matthews cited "pretty interesting research" that suggested some urban centres in Ontario perform more caesarean sections than others.
Matthews, who is in charge of Ontario's most expensive ministry during a time when the government is looking to find savings, said there must be evidence that medical procedures and tests improve health outcomes.
A spokesperson for Matthews clarified later Wednesday that OHIP would continue to cover any C-sections deemed necessary by a medical professional.
According to a 2011 Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences study, 28 per cent of babies delivered in Ontario hospitals are by caesarean section.
That number jumps to 84 per cent for mothers who had a previous caesarean section, according to the study which was funded by an agency of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
Ontario is looking to trim a $16-billion deficit and the government is reviewing all health services.
"We need to really be rigorous in our determination to fund services that have an evidence-basis and not fund those that don't," Matthews said Wednesday.
Health programs make up 44 per cent of Ontario's spending.
