Stars 'too posh to push' set bad example to women: nurses

Pop and film stars who opt for Caesarean births to ‘‘fit in with their schedules’’ are setting poor examples for young women, nurses said today.

Famous women who are ‘‘too posh to push’’ were criticised by delegates at the Royal College of Nursing’s annual conference in Harrogate.

Nurses said young women were being influenced by their idols - but are left in ignorance about the health risks of Caesareans.

And women who have Caesareans are taking midwives and staff away from other mothers to be, nurses said.

Spice girls Victoria Beckham and Mel G, All Saints star Melanie Blatt, DJ Zoe Ball and actress Patsy Kensit are among the stars who have opted for a Caesarean birth in recent years.

The conference overwhelmingly passed a motion calling on the RCN to lobby for a reduction of the rising Caesarean rate in the UK.

Three decades ago, 3% of births were by Caesarean - now that rate is 20%, although World Health Organisation guidelines say developed countries should only have a 9% rate.

Women who have Caesareans are four times more likely to develop serious problems and 90% suffer complications such as infections.

Nurse Rebecca Gray, from Cornwall, said: ‘‘There are very, very glamorous pop stars and movie stars who opt for a Caesarean because they can fit it with their busy schedule.

‘‘That is not a good example for young people. They are not good role models.

‘‘Women see these very famous, very glamorous women opting for a Caesarean section and they don’t hear about the consequences which may arise.’’

Denise Chaffer said that Caesareans cost the NHS £26.6m a year and divert already scarce staff away from other women.

‘‘A woman who has a Caesarean needs three midwives,’’ she said.

‘‘Should women who opt for Caesareans take midwives and paediatric staff and resources away from other women?’’

Women who have the procedure also suffer psychological and physical scars, nurses said.

Jean Thornton, from Leicester, told how she had recently spent two hours counselling a woman on the phone who still felt guilty about having a Caesarean 60 years after she had given birth to her son.

‘‘She still felt she had failed as a wife and mother by having a Caesarean,’’ Mrs Thornton said.

‘‘There are a lot of mums who are pleased with their children and are glad they are healthy and that they themselves are well, but psychologically they still feel they have failed because they could not give birth naturally.’’