USATODAY.com - C-section practice threatens patient's rights

USATODAY.com - C-section practice threatens patient's rights: "These bans violate a wide body of legal and ethical guidelines dictating that health care providers must respect the right of any patient to decline a medical procedure. If doctors did carry through their threats to perform surgery in spite of a mother's refusal, then they'd be subject to criminal assault and battery charges.

It's important for women to understand that they have the legal right to be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives of any proposed treatment, including C-sections, and that hospitals that neglect to perform this duty violate the federal Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act.

In addition, when hospitals and doctors claim that they can't 'allow' VBACs because of the fear of lawsuits, they're not being entirely honest with their patients. If a patient absolutely refuses a C-section and this refusal is documented, I believe it is unlikely that doctors would be held liable for not performing one."

Katherine Prown, Ph.D., Fox Point, Wis.
BirthPolicy.org