What are the categories of caesarean section? A woman has a fetal bradycardia and needs an emergency caesarean. Talk me through your approach to consent.
- Category 1: immediate threat to life of woman or fetus - target DDI ideally <30 minutes (RCOG: should not exceed 75 minutes)
- Category 2: maternal or fetal compromise, not immediately life-threatening - within 75 minutes
- Category 3: no maternal or fetal compromise, but needs early delivery - within hours
- Category 4: elective/planned - at a time to suit the woman and the team
Sign in to unlock speak mode
Sign in to record answers, use your free attempts, and build an attempt history.
How to approach this Obstetrics & Gynaecology interview question
This ethics question is common in Obstetrics & Gynaecology NHS interviews because it reveals how you think under interview pressure, not just what facts you can recall. Use "What are the categories of caesarean section? A woman has a fetal bradycardia and needs..." as the anchor for a concise answer with a clear opening, a clinical or professional structure, and a reflective close.
What the panel is testing
A strong ethics answer makes the competing duties visible. Name the principle or legal issue, then describe the practical steps you would take in the hospital: gather facts, assess capacity where relevant, seek advice, document, and protect the patient. For obstetrics and gynaecology, show that you can balance urgency, consent, escalation, and multidisciplinary working. Labour ward, theatre, safeguarding, and communication with women and families may all be relevant.
- Identify the ethical tension before jumping to a decision: capacity, consent, confidentiality, best interests, or law.
- Use local policy and senior advice, and be explicit about safeguarding or immediate patient-safety concerns.
- Balance respect for autonomy with professional duties, documentation, and clear communication.
How to structure your answer
For a ethics prompt, aim for a short opening sentence, then two or three evidence-led points, then a final reflection. If you use STAR, keep the result and reflection as strong as the situation. If it is a clinical scenario, say what you would do now, what you would do next, and how you would keep the patient safe while help is coming.
- Open by naming the main issue in the question.
- Give a structured response rather than a memorised script.
- End with escalation, documentation, learning, or follow-up.
Common mistakes to avoid
The weakest answers usually stay too vague, ignore the specific role, or miss the safety issue hidden in the question. Do not use this page to memorise a perfect paragraph. Use it to rehearse the shape of a safe answer, then adapt it to your own experience and the post you are applying for.
- Category 1: immediate threat to life of woman or fetus - target DDI ideally <30 minutes (RCOG: should not exceed 75 minutes)
- Category 2: maternal or fetal compromise, not immediately life-threatening - within 75 minutes
- Category 3: no maternal or fetal compromise, but needs early delivery - within hours