SOME mums-to-be who ask for a caesarean section are subjected to a ‘lengthy, difficult or inconsistent’ process, a human rights charity has warned.

Official guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) states that women requesting a caesarean should be offered one if, after discussion and an offer of support, a vaginal birth is still not an acceptable option.

But charity Birthrights, which specialises in maternal human rights, found East Lancashire Hospitals Trust was one of almost half (47 per cent) of trusts with policies or processes which are ‘problematic or inconsistent’.

This means the charity said it could not be sure whether a woman would be ultimately offered a caesarean section if she wanted one at the trust.

Between April 2016 and April 2017, 28 women had ‘maternal request’ listed as the only indicator for caesarean section at the trust, which is a caesarean section birth requested by the pregnant woman without a medical reason.

The charity rated the trust as ‘amber’ for its policy on maternal request caesarean.

Birthrights also found that almost one in six NHS trusts in the UK do not offer women caesarean sections on request .

Chief executive of Birthrights, Rebecca Schiller, said: “It is clear that women requesting caesareans meet judgement, barriers and disrespect more often than they find compassion and support.”

Russ McLean, East Lancashire’s patients’ champion added that women should have ‘reproductive rights’ over their own body.

Mark Willett, clinical director for family Care at ELHT, said the trust ‘respected a woman’s right to choose an elective caesarean section’, even if there is ‘no direct medical or obstetric reason for this.’

He said: “The trust always has a duty of care and discusses the risks and benefits of caesarean section with the mother to fully understand her wishes, circumstances, concerns, priorities and plans for future pregnancies.

“We respect a woman’s right to choose an elective caesarean section even if there is no direct medical or obstetric reason for this, in line with the latest NICE guidelines and recommendations relating to maternal requests for caesarean section. Our consultant obstetricians refer to one of their colleagues if in any particular case they feel unable to agree to the request.

“Birthrights have rated ELHT as amber. We understand this is not because we do not agree to do them, but because our guidelines could be clearer about the process to be followed. We will update our guidelines to reflect our position more explicitly.”