Final answer:
The correct answer is option (a) 48 hours. The Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act mandates this minimum inpatient stay for mothers after a Caesarean section to ensure proper recovery time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act of 1996 prohibits a health plan to offer less than 48 hours of inpatient stay following a Caesarean section. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is option (a) 48 hours. This Act ensures that mothers and their newborns receive adequate time in the hospital to recover and be monitored following a C-section, which is major surgery. Shortening the required inpatient stay could pose health risks to both mother and child. The Act was created in response to concerns about the early discharge of newborns and mothers from hospitals and the potential negative impact on their health.