An Irish study has revealed that celebrities giving birth have only a moderately higher caesarean section rate than normal.

The study examined the perception that celebrities are most likely to chose caesarean section as a convenient mode of delivery.

Dr Sarah Nicholson of the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, looked at the elective caesarean rate among celebrities whose deliveries were covered by Hello! magazine.

Between November 2012 and October 2013, 59 celebrities had the births of their children announced in the pages of Hello!.

Of these, 25 celebrities (42%) did not state the mode of delivery in the magazine interview or in coverage of the birth.

Eleven women were delivered by casesarean section, giving a rate of 19%. Three infants were delivered by surrogate (two male celebrities using a female surrogate) and the remaining 20 women delivered vaginally.

The research found that the rate of caesareans among celebrities of 19% was just above that recommended by the WHO, which is around 15%.

Dr Nicholson said, however, that the most important findings of the survey was that nearly half of all celebrities did not discuss the mode of delivery of their babies, showing that even among men and women whose daily lives are dedicated to publicity, that the moment of delivery of their children remains how it should be - 'private to the family and cherished by them'.

The research was presented at a recent obstetric meeting at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in Dublin.

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