CAESAREAN SECTION GUIDELINES

Early day motion 1095, tabled 29 April 2004 by Iris Robinson (DUP). Signed by 23 members.

That this House welcomes the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommendation that women should be discouraged from choosing to have a Caesarean section; notes that such operations represent major abdominal surgery; believes that further efforts must be undertaken to inform the public fully of their potential complications and that decisions regarding caesarean sections should be based on clinical grounds; recognizes that the Caesarean rate in Northern Ireland of 26.2 per cent. is much higher than other parts of the United Kingdom; and calls for this NICE recommendation to be implemented in the province.

Signatures by party: Labour 10, Liberal Democrat 5, DUP 3, Labour/Co-operative 2, UUP 2, Conservative 1.