Feb 9, 2009 (DVB), Expectant mothers in Mandalay's Myingyan General Hospital have complained of being pressured into having unnecessary and expensive caesarean sections instead of natural births.

Gynaecologist Khi Khin Yu has been charging each mother more than 400,000 kyat for expenses and equipment, according to a woman who had just given birth.

"A friend of mine left the hospital because she was afraid and gave birth elsewhere," the woman said.

"I wanted to give birth naturally, but I couldn’t," she said.

"In fact, she just wants more money."

The woman said Khi Khin Yu was also pressuring women into buying costly medicines from her.

"You have to buy medicines from her too or else she treats you like dirt," the woman said.

"One patient who bought medicines from outside [the hospital] had her medical records thrown out," she said.

"It only costs 10,000 for anti-jaundice injection outside, but she charges 140,000."

Recently, a woman who was about to give birth prematurely was turned away from the hospital by the doctor, who insisted that the woman was not her patient.

The woman had to travel all the way to Mandalay to give birth.

Some women have reportedly died while giving birth at home because they could not afford money and were too afraid of the medical staff to go to hospital, relatives of the women said.

"It is pandemonium in there. They will shout at you whether you have money or not," the woman who had just given birth said.

"But you must have money. If you don’t, you are dead."

Khi Khin Yu was not available for comment when DVB contacted the hospital but a member of staff on duty said it was best to talk to the patients to find out more.

Reporting by Naw Say Phaw