How far should expectant mums go to get the birth they want?

Whose needs should be considered above all others’ when a woman is planning her birth?

One pregnant mum in the US says her hospital threatened to call child services unless she agreed to have a c-section. Jennifer Goodall from Florida in the US wanted a vaginal birth, but her hospital thought she was placing her baby in unnecessary danger.

Should pregnant women get to give birth however they choose?

Jennifer, 41, found out what the hospital was planning when the Chief Financial Officer of Bayfront Health Port Charlotte wrote to her on July 10. They stated that they intended to perform a cesarean "with or without her consent" if she came to the hospital.

The hospital was concerned because Jennifer had previously had a cesarean. Despite numerous women having vaginal births after c-sections, or VBAC as they are now known, medial staff felt she was putting her baby at risk.

Jennifer was offended by the hospital's  implication that she was deliberately endangering her baby. She released a statement saying:

It's an extreme case but one that raises women's right to choose how to give birth, even if medical staff becomes concerned they are putting their babies at risk. Who has the right to decide?

Another example is this mum who do not want to be induced as she travelled well over her due-date and felt her opinion wasn't being listened to by her care providers:

What should be the priority when mother and health professionals don't see eye to eye?

Whose rights are more important when it comes to child birth - the mother or the child?

Did you document your pregnancy as it progressed? Sophie Starenski did. Check out her amazing 'mirror selfie' series showing her progress. Make sure you CLICK THROUGH to the final photo.Photos via Sophie's Tumblr .

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When I told my doctors how I wanted to give birth, they laughed at me.

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