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High rate of Caesarean births in London raises concerns for mothers
Anna Davis and Sophie Goodchild1 May 2009
London has the highest rate of Caesarean births in England with nearly a third of all pregnant women being given the procedure.
Expectant mothers are more likely to have a Caesarean section at Chelsea and Westminster hospital than anywhere else in the country. NHS figures show 34.7 per cent of babies were delivered by Caesarean there last year.
In London as a whole, 27.3 per cent of women are given the procedure.
Only seven maternity units in the country have Caesarean rates of more than 30 per cent.
Among them are Lewisham hospital at 30.1 per cent and Imperial College Healthcare trust, which includes St Mary's Paddington and Queen Charlotte's hospital, at 32.7 per cent. The figures also show an increase in inductions, instrumental deliveries and anaesthetic use.
Chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, Belinda Phipps, said: "These figures are concerning. We are failing to give a high number of women the birth they want and exposing them to births that can be physically and emotionally traumatic.
"Most women want their labour to be straightforward with minimum intervention provided they feel they can cope, and their baby is healthy.
"We need greater investment in maternity services for one-to-one midwifery care, giving them every chance to have the straightforward birth they want.
"Higher levels of medical intervention can take control away from women, make labour difficult to manage and result in a longer recovery."
Guidance from the Government states women should be supported in having "as normal a pregnancy and birth as possible, with medical interventions recommended only if they are of benefit to the woman or her baby".
A spokesman for Lewisham hospital said: "We had a higher demographic of 'at-risk women', which we believe results in increased Caesarean births. We are working to bring them down."
A spokesman for Chelsea and Westminster hospital said: "We have a high emergency Caesarean rate because the demographics of women who give birth here and our specialist services, including the biggest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in London. The trust carried out an internal audit of its Caesarean rate and has taken action."
Reader views (3)
Jessie, there is no evidence to support the so-called 'too posh to push' phenomenon. The vast majority of mothers choose normal delivery when offered the option. Look at the facts. I chose a Caesarean because my daughter, who I tried to deliver naturally, had to have her shoulder broken in order for her to be born because she was so big. This is called shoulder distocia and can result in the death of the baby. I was not going to run the risk of that happening again with my next baby. If you look behind the scaremongering headlines, you'll find the vast majority of Caesareans are carried out for reasons like this, or as emergency cases. If too many are being performed it is probably down to hospital being afraid of being sued, rather than because too many women are asking for them. In my experience doctors are if anything too reluctant to perform Caesareans because it involves getting a whole surgical team together. My friend lost a child because doctors refused to perform a Caesarean and her baby, who was big, was deprived of oxygen and died minutes after delivery. Childbirth can be dangerous and Caesareans save lives.
- Lj, London, 01/05/2009 17:32
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What about the huge amount of elective c-sections that women actually choose because they think it is the easiest option?? C-sections should never be performed unless the child and/or the mother are at risk. Too many women these days seem to think they are just too posh to push!!
- Jessie, London, 01/05/2009 14:11
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The Government guidelines were prepared by a large committee of people - the majority of whom were neither midwives nor obstetricians and included the likes of finance/auditors! There are a number of consultant obstetricians in London who do not agree with these guidelines.
- Andy, london, 01/05/2009 10:58
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