Too posh to push a reality in the United Kingdom
October 29, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Women's Health
The United States isn’t the only country seeing an increase in voluntary, non-medically necessary Cesarean sections (C-sections); the United Kingdom is reporting high numbers of C-sections as well.
One in 4 births in the UK are C-sections, triple the rate in 1990. A leading midwife in the UK, Louise Silverton, claims that many of them are not done for medical purposes, but for women who are afraid of the pain of labor.
Yes – labor hurts. It does, there’s no doubt about it. But so does major abdominal surgery, which is what a C-section is. I’ve spoken to women who don’t put C-section and major surgery in the same category. Perhaps because it can be done with an epidural? Or maybe it’s because often their partner can be with them? Or it could be because many necessary C-sections are planned, with a due date that is scheduled before the natural due date to prevent labor from starting.
But, whatever the reason, women should not have C-sections unless they are required. While the surgery is quite safe, it has its risks and harm can come to either mother or baby – or both.
~~~~
Tags: pregnancy blog, labor, pain from labor, cesarean sections, c sections, epidural, midwife
