Women deciding to have caesarean live longer: study

London, Apr 12 (UNI) Women who opt for a planned caesarean have the lowest mortality rate, a new study says.

Those who are ''too posh to push'' are taking the safest option by a small margin, the research found.

The claim comes amid fears more mothers are deciding to have the procedure because they cannot face a live birth.

The research by the Birth Trauma Association (BTA) found that out of 2,113,831 women who gave birth after 24 weeks between 2003 and 2005, one in ten chose an elective, or planned, caesarean before labour began.

Of those, seven died, giving a mortality rate of 0.31 per 10,000.

Out of the remaining women who had a natural birth, 74 died, giving a mortality rate of 0.39 per 10,000.

Maureen Treadwell, from the BTA, said it was ''extremely surprising'' elective caesareans had a lower risk of mortality.

She said, ''Maternal death is very, very rare so it is important women are not worried by this.'' ''However, those with potential complications such as very small women, those with large babies or requiring induction, may like to discuss the risks and benefits of elective caesarean with their doctors,'' she added.

''We see women with obstetric problems who have been encourage to go for normal delivery. These women can go through a terrible experience and end up deeply traumatised and very ill,'' the Daily Mail quoted her as saying.

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