Would we be kind to a mother who choose not to put her baby in a car seat when driving? I know I've seen that frequently, and I certainly don't think, "but it's their choice!" The similarities are very similar.

It's certainly not a us and them. My best friend had an emergency caesarean (after a physiological vaginal birth for her first baby, now 3) and I thank God every day, we have that technology or simply he would't be alive. I think it is very ignorant though to shrug one's shoulders and say well it's choice, because when its elective in the abscence of ANY medical or psyhological problems it is a less than perfect way to be born and less than optimal way of starting live as a mother. It's not about making women feel inferior, but rather empowering them, obviously by choosing a unnecessary surgery they aren't feeling very empowed or capable or propably even supported by their care provider. Lets face it in the private system, I don't know anyone who would be turned down for an elective surgery, afterall the surgeon is just looking after his own (or her own) pay packet.