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Limiting mothers’ choice not the answer
The care of mothers and babies at birth has come a long way in my 25 years of practice as an obstetrician.Victorian women today have good reason to see birth as safe. In the 1920’s the rate of maternal death in birth was 1 in 250, today it is 1 in 10,000. At the same time we have reduced the risks of death and injury to babies to its lowest rate on record.
Fundamental to the safety of birth today in Victoria is the knowledge of the hospital midwives and doctors in the early assessment and identification of developing problems for baby and mother and the prompt intervention with caesarean section.
In an age where women expect and demand to control and manage the birth of their baby as they do other milestone events in their lives, an increasing number of women, particularly those who can afford private hospital care, are asking their obstetrician for a caesarean birth.
Doctors do provide information and guidance based on knowledge and experience to help the mother make the best decisions for her baby and herself.
It is hard to argue with a woman presenting with the birth of a 4kg baby saying she needs a caesarean because she wants bladder control after the birth of her baby.
Doctors understand the risks associated with caesarean section but to use “medically necessary”, a term which would be extremely hard to define, to limit mothers’ right to choose a caesarean birth to those who can afford private health insurance and private health care is inequitable and thus hard to support.
Dr Kate Duncan
Vice President AMA Victoria
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist.
Victorian Medical Directory
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