Hppy: Sounds like this woman _needed_ a c-section and _wanted_ something that while it would have been nice, probably wasn't available. Not sure what to think about the anesthesiologist calling her an idiot, but that's another issue. Free will, live and let live, if she chooses not to use a service because of a personal preference that's her right, but I have no opinion of whatever religious or cultural views people have. All any of us can do is tell a patient their options, give them the facts and let them make their own decisions.
I've never seen any male or female providers freak out, it's a job and it becomes routine, although in my experience the women do talk more (which has been the subject of a study or two if I recall), but really it just comes down to the individual.
I didn't mean to sound sexist in my earlier post, but was under the impression this was a male nurses forum/outlet.