Madam, - I refer to the letter from Peter Boylan (June 17th). With 30 years' experience as a registered nurse and midwife in the UK, I have never seen a woman in labour need a symphysiotomy. In the rest of Europe, Caesarean section is the procedure of choice for an obstructed labour.
Like any surgical procedure, it is not without risk, but the great majority have a successful outcome and have only short-term side-effects, as opposed to the life-damaging side-effects which symphysiotomy has on women.
The testimony of a woman on the radio last week proved this. She has had no life since that operation, and there are so many more like her. The evidence of women who have experienced symphysiotomy is at odds with Mr Boylan's advocacy and statistics. - Yours, etc.,
BEATRICE MacDONALD, RGN, RM, DN, Sligo.