Should ‘One Born Every Minute’ be BANNED for ‘scaring’ pregnant women?

A birthing therapist has joined a campaign seeking to ban the hit Channel Four television show One Born Every Minute, which she claims leaves women 'scared' of childbirth.  Charlotte Kanyi, who is a facilitator for the North Birmingham Positive Birth Group, says watching the show while pregnant is akin to "learning to drive by being told about all the accidents you’re likely to have before you even get into the car,”

“It can really put you off." she told the Mirror. “It gives the image of women lying down having things done to them and looking scared. “Sometimes it can be entirely normal for a woman in labour to say I can’t do this anymore. But to see lots of women saying that over and over again, it’s very skewed.”

Charlotte, mum to Younusa, five, and Idrisa, two, is supporting a petition started by birth campaigner Alexia Leachman, which currently has more than 1,400 signatures. Ideally, she'd like to see the programme "pulled and replaced with something different, or for the intention of the programme to be changed as a result." A Channel 4 spokesperson said One Born Every Minute "has provided a rounded insight into the reality of the day-to-day experiences of a maternity ward for nine successful series" and described it as a "fair and accurate portrayal of the inner workings of the hospital’s maternity ward, which shows a wide spectrum of different birthing stories.” What do you think; is reality TV leaving women 'scared' of childbirth? Let us know on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.