Women can choose Caesarean birth

Pregnant women who ask for a Caesarean delivery should be allowed to have the operation, even if there is no medical need, according to new guidelines for England and Wales.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) states pregnant women should be offered counselling and told of the risks of surgery first - but they should then be allowed to choose whether to have the operation.

The chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, Cathy Warwick, says she welcomes the new guidelines.