;D Yep the section rate in this country is around 20 % nationally. We won't get like the states because midwifery is actually illegal in about 47 or 48 states and their services are run by obstetricians.
The royal college of midwives, obstetricians and groups such as the NCT support that women do better with one to one care in labour and have less complications and intervention. The rate for our health district is lower than the national average.
In order to provide one to one care there needs to be more midwives. Experienced midwives nationally have taken on the role of junior doctors, because there aren't enough of them either. In my job, I see women through from the start of their pregnancy, labour, and until the baby is 28 days old and they see the same midwives all the way through (in theory) We put up drips if needed, stitch our own ladies afterwards, perform inductions of labour and do the first physical examination of the newborn. All these tasks have been taken from the doctors for no extra pay, in order to give the ladies some continuity. The midwives in this country are pretty fierce with their territory and so are our women. Many british ex pats come home (especially) from the states to have their babies here, cos they feel they get more of a choice and better care.
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