Mallard Still Quacking.

He has lost the Economic Development, Sports and Recreation and Rugby World Cup portfolios, but picked up Environment, Labour and Broadcasting. His Cabinet ranking falls only three places, from seventh to 10th.Miss Clark says she had to weigh up the incident against the large contribution Mr Mallard has made to Labour, and told Checkpoint that taking on the new portfolios will be part of his rehabilitation.

Oh yes.

But then this may have been one of the preconditions for his continuity in public service?
I'm not altogether sure the new sheila would be too pleased though ... 'a cut duck.'

Caesareans set to be most common births

Caesareans are likely to be the commonest way of delivering a baby at Auckland City Hospital within five years
Oh yes.


the rate of elective caesareans, which comprised more than a third of all caesareans at National Women's, increased markedly with maternal age.
Oh yes . .. the 'fear factor?'


The proportion of women aged 36 to 40 giving birth has more than doubled since 1991, to more than 20 per cent last year.
Oh yes ... older, less elasticity, no longer having the impulsiveness of youth ... aesthetics?

The report also charts an increase in women who haemorrhaged more than a litre of blood following birth, "which is in part due to the increased caesarean section rate".

Aha ... so there is a cost, and in the USA, neonatal mortality rates were higher among infants delivered by cesarean section (1.77 per 1,000 live births) than for those delivered vaginally (0.62) ... cesarean birth is associated with higher maternal morbidity.

"I don't think women are being given good information about the risks involved, not only for them but for their babies, in having a caesarean."

But perhaps they are ... perhaps this is a risk older women are prepared to accept for ... what were those 'payoffs' again?