C sections have been making the news quite a lot here in the UK today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15840743
The policy of the NHS has been that women are not allowed to have a c-section if there is no medical reason. In other words, no elective c-sections.
The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has just come out with a new policy stating that women should be allowed to elect for a c-section even if there is no medical need. A mother who is afraid of vaginal birth should be offered counselling, but can no longer be denied a c-section.
Currently 1 in 4 births in the UK is a c-section.
Did you know that it costs the NHS £700 more to have a c-section than a vaginal birth? That surprised me, given the longer recovery time. I would have expected it would be higher.
Anyway, I thought this was interesting. What do y'all think about this new policy?
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I find it interesting that hospitals in the US are starting to put policies in place to minimize elective c-sections and now the UK is doing the exact opposite!
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I think it means an increase for the cesarean rate of the UK.... which will probably go on for awhile and then there will be alot of negative outcomes for mommas and babies and they'll go back to implementing things against them, just like the US is starting to do.
Cesareans should be just like any other medical technology..... used when NEEDED.
It'd be kinda crazy if people started having elective appendectomies or gall bladder removal just because they're scared they MIGHT get appendicitis (which CAN kill you) or don't want to possibly deal with the pain of gall bladder issues.....
Surgery is surgery and when it's used for means that it wasn't made for (necessity to save lives) it creates many negative outcomes. =/
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@runsyellowlites: I wish I had my gallbladder out before I got gallstones - would have saved me many a night staying up in indescribable pain throwing up bile...lol
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@runsyellowlites: I know someone personally who had a double mastectomy because her mom had breast cancer and she didnt want to risk it. That was considered elective, and she didnt think it was crazy. Each person has their own reason for wanting a c-section or an elective surgery. My c-sec was elective for many reasons.
In response to the OP, I do agree that what will probably happen is exactly what runsyellowlites said. The number will go up substantially, then individual hospitals will start implementing rules.
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@Navy_Mommy: I'm sure if my mom had known her appendix would almost kill her she'd have opted to go ahead and take it out before the 10 day hospital stay BUT not everyone will have to deal with that.... or gall bladder issues, so what if everyone decided that b/c the "may" they'd just go ahead and have the surgery? That's what I was meaning
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@LivsMama: Considering her history I don't think that'd be totally "elective".... I've known women where their doctors actually suggested that b/c of the family history. But had she never had any medical reason to think she'd need that then I'd imagine that a surgeon wouldn't be likely to do it.
Same with labor... if you've never had an issue before, why would a doctor be inclined to perform a procedure used for when there are issues? I just find it kind of unsettling.
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@runsyellowlites: Oh I know! I was just kidding, lol.
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@runsyellowlites: her reason wasn't 100% elective, but the doctor seemed to think it was unnecessary - but did it anyways. I never had an issue with labor. I never even went into labor. After I was opened up they discovered I'd never have been able to deliver naturally. The cord was around Liv's neck 3 times very tightly and in a place that would have disallowed her to descend into the birth canal. So in the end it was medically necessary but initially it was 100% elective. I DO see why people find it unsettling, but my reasons were enough for my doctor and hospital to authorize it.
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