Medical expert welcomes Nice guidelines on caesarean sections

06 Dec 2011

Angela Kirtley, a Partner and expert in medical law at Irwin Mitchell has welcomed the new guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) in relation to caesarean sections.

The guidelines produced by Nice state that any woman who wishes to opt for a caesarean section should not be denied the opportunity. They go on to say that it is vital that all women going through a pregnancy are offered the right information about the procedure and the potential risks which are involved.

The health authority have stated that the patient will be better equipped to make the best decision for their needs if they are provided with more detailed information about the procedure and the safety implications associated.

Angela Kirtley, who specialises in cases relating to birth injuries and medical negligence, said:  “It is important news that greater choice is to be given to pregnant women in relation to how they deliver their child.

“Through my work acting for those who have suffered complications during birth, I’ve seen the devastating impact that safety failings or errors during birth can have on families and their children.

“Our hope is that, now and in the future, this increase in the level of choice will ensure improvements are made in the child birth procedure as a whole, which would have the knock-on effect of ensuring higher safety standards in general.”

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