I think that's the point though, even Mr Odent himself concedes that c-section is safe. It's just that normal vaginal birth is safER and works better and has less potential for complications.

Part of the problem is that when people DO sue over medical care during birth a) it is usually due to injury or death because a c-section was NOT done and b) the court looks only at the one operation in question. The court does not compensate or penalise for future potential problems, nor does it address previously-dealt-with operations when the same woman suffers again from a previously-caused problem. The mentality is all skewed because of the threat of litigation and the lack of personal liability.

In the UK you can call the local hospital and they HAVE to tell you their section rate and the individual rates for various Obs. So few people do it though. I did. At a large city teaching hospital the section rate was 38% overall - 58% for first time mums! Thus i stayed at home! It makes sense - how do you learn how to do a section? You observe one...

Since you can sue for inaction and you can sue for incompetence but you CAN'T sue for "fate" (i.e. you already signed a release saying if you bleed to death it's nothing to do with them cutting you open and all...) or for potential repercussions, c-section remains the best option for the Ob to cover himself legally. From that POV a woman wanting a c sec is a gift.

Bx