Follow-up on UK Home Birth

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Wednesday, May 17, 2006

New Zealand OBs not happy about UK movement

The call for all mothers-to-be in Britain to give birth at home are being labelled ludicrous and dangerous by doctors here.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists is taking issue with the British Government's comments.

Spokesman Alec Ekeroma says, while it is safe for some women to deliver at home, others must go to hospitals.

Well duh! Of course not all women should deliver at home. No one, even in the UK ever said that it was. Even the strongest home birth advocates specifically state that home birth is a safe and excellent option for LOW-RISK mothers. No one is going to argue that someone will a full placenta previa or with HELP or a history of three c-sections should give birth in a hospital.

The entire point here is choice. Choice that OBs don't want women to have...because that choice and further proof of the benefits of home birth could mean less hospital bound patients for them.

Labels: Childbirth Issues

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