NHS Permits "Caesarian on Maternal Demand"

An update of a new guidance document being developed by the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellenct ("NICE") would permit caesarian section on maternal request, even when there are no medical indications for the procedure. In the US context, I'm skeptical even of the language of "maternal request" or "maternal demand," since I believe that there is significant evidence that physician preferences and reimbursement drive our sky-high c-section rates here in the US, and elsewhere (such as Brazil); and also that physician preferences and conversations can end up driving what is later called "maternal demand". The new guidelines make me worry that the official availability of c-section on maternal request in the UK will lead to some non-medically-indicated c-sections being performed for reasons other than "maternal request," like physician scheduling convenience. But it may work differently in the NHS; and anyway, the NICE guidelines include a number of steps to be taken before acquiescing in mom's request for CS, like counseling on fear of childbirth, and proper discussion of the comparative risks of CS and vaginal birth. Let's see what happens to the overall CS rate, and how many maternal requests for CS crop up, after the new guidelines are finalized.