Expecting: Too posh to push?

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From the Associated Press: Pregnant women in Britain, where the government provides free health care, may soon be able to get a cesarean section on demand thanks to a rule change that critics describe as the health system caving into the “too posh to push” crowd.

Currently, British women who can’t afford to pay private doctors for their baby’s delivery have been allowed to have planned C-sections only if there are health concerns for mother or baby. Emergency C-sections are done when the situation demands it.

But new guidelines set to take effect later this month say pregnant women “with no identifiable reason” should be allowed a cesarean if they still want it following a discussion with mental health experts.

The issue of women having C-sections on demand has long been a hot button issue in the U.K., with celebrities like Madonna and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham having scheduled procedures at upscale hospitals. Criticism for the wealthy getting these elective surgeries led to the phrase “too posh to push.”

The new draft guidelines come from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, or NICE. The agency’s guidelines are usually accepted by the government and determine what will be paid for by its health system.

What do you think of this? Should women be able to choose between a C-section and vaginal birth regardless of their reasons?

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