I think that a woman may make choices during labour she may not have made while not in labour. To be charged money for the choices made while in immense pain, probably frightened and in unfamiliar surroundings while using the NHS which we already pay for in national insurance is a bit of a farce really. If epidurals are costing too much to use as a "labour aid" then don't make them available to women they're not medically indicated for. Don't make them an option. Taking the stance... "You may have this... but you'll have to give us this..." would put women's back up and if they didn't already know this, probably ruin their labour experience by adding more worry to a woman that perhaps would actually benefit in herself for using one, but now has the added financial implications of doing so... it also screams socio-economic divide... what about those who cannot afford it but want one? Too much of a class issue for my liking... No thanks.

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