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Maternity consumer groups are concerned at the rising number of
caesarians being performed for social rather than medical reasons at
tax payer expense.
The co-ordinator of the Maternity Services Consumer Council,
Lynda Williams, estimates that up to 400 caesarian operations a year
are chosen for social reasons, including a fear of natural
childbirth.
She says the practice is developing a fashionable following
especially among middle-to-upper income women.
She says a grapevine is operating in which women can find out
which obstetricians at what hospitals will perform a caesarian on
request.
Williams says there is sometimes a grey area over whether a
caesarian is medically required or not and some obstetricians take
advantage of this ambiguity to defend their practices. |
