Elective caesareans a small proportion of births

Just three per cent of expectant mums would choose to have a caesarean section delivery as part of their pre-labour birthing plan, new research has found. A study conducted by a team of experts from the University of Central Lancaster revealed that almost three quarters of women would prefer to give birth naturally, in the absence of emergency or medical reasons. Lead author of the report, Dr Carol Kingdon, from the university's School of Public Health and Clinical Sciences, commented: "While many women supported the principle of choice, in practice their choices were limited by the circumstances of the pregnancy and available care provision.

"All women felt that medical concerns should take precedence over personal preferences and recognised how any choice expressed can change as pregnancy progresses."

According to the research results, of almost 400 women, 76 per cent had a vaginal delivery, two had a planned home birth and almost a quarter had a caesarean, only two of which were elective.

The findings follow recent figures that suggest the growing rate of caesarean births is down to the celebrity trend of being 'too posh to push'.

Figures show that one in four women in the UK now give birth by caesarean section.

Birth Choice UK states that vaginal birth is four times safer for a woman than having a caesarean.