PLANS to halt the "too posh to push" surge in caesarean births are being considered by ministers. T hey want to make sure the procedures are essential.
One in four babies in England is delivered by caesarean section - TREBLE the 1980 figure. Nearly 155,000 took place in 2008-09.
But experts say only one in 10 should be born surgically in developed countries. NHS Trusts are paid more for caesareans because they are more complicated - and some doctors are suspected of opting for a C-section when it is not really necessary.
A change in funding may now be brought in, so a hospital would not get any extra cash if a mum identified as low-risk had a caesarean. The plans could take more than a year to finalise.
But Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is determined to make sure women get the right option.
He said: "We want to improve maternal choice. So we are looking into ways to support mothers-to-be, ensuring that they get safe and appropriate care."
One in four babies in England is delivered by caesarean section - TREBLE the 1980 figure. Nearly 155,000 took place in 2008-09.
But experts say only one in 10 should be born surgically in developed countries. NHS Trusts are paid more for caesareans because they are more complicated - and some doctors are suspected of opting for a C-section when it is not really necessary.
A change in funding may now be brought in, so a hospital would not get any extra cash if a mum identified as low-risk had a caesarean. The plans could take more than a year to finalise.
But Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is determined to make sure women get the right option.
He said: "We want to improve maternal choice. So we are looking into ways to support mothers-to-be, ensuring that they get safe and appropriate care."
No comments:
Post a Comment