Just another example of how obstetrics generalises, lumps women into categories, and tries to head off problems that don't yet exist by intervening without cause .

It's just so ridiculous to pretend that you can predict the course of a womans labour based on her age.

That's no different to telling a mother aged in her 20's that she will have a textbook labour because she is of "perfect" child bearing age.

No one would argue the above to be stupid logic, yet this premise that women over 35 can't birth without help is taken at face value all the time.

I also agree that older women are more likely to have private health and be using private OB's.