Let the fights about caesarean births begin.

Elective caesarean births are so low on the league table they can barely be mentioned without fear of acrimony.

But some hospital trusts expect that it will lead to the postponement of planned, non-urgent operations, including some surgically assisted caesarean births.

At the latter two, timing was similar between term and preterm births, and between vaginal and Caesarean births.

Hospitals were asked to share information on topics such as their rates of induction, Caesarean births and episiotomies during 2009.

Bridget Sheeran: community midwife in West Cork, works with women having home and hospital births as well as those planning Caesarean births.