Health Business - Over 95 per cent of UK women do not choose where to give birth

Over 95 per cent of UK women do not choose where to give birth

Report shows benefits of choice for pregnant women.

A National Childbirth Trust report has shown that 95.8 per cent of women do not yet have access to a real choice of a home birth, birth centre or an obstetric unit in a hospital.

The report, Location, location, location, shows that 89 per cent of women live in areas that realistically do not offer the choice of a home birth with a midwife and over 40 per cent of women live in areas without reasonable access to a birth centre or obstetric unit.

Research for the report was commissioned in light of the government’s Maternity Matters promise that all women in England would have access to choice of place of birth by the end of 2009.

Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive, NCT, said: “There is a huge task ahead for trusts and boards as many are very behind in implementing this policy. We know across the UK, government policies support women with this choice. However, in reality this is not even close to being delivered yet.”

“There are a few trusts and boards in the UK that are succeeding in offering women a real choice and these successes are to be celebrated. We now need the rest of the UK to catch up.”

Local and national governments will need to review the financial framework surrounding maternity services, recognise the importance of midwives in reducing costs and delivering choice and make sure that women are aware of the options and given unbiased information to make a choice.

They must also understand that for healthy women with a low-risk pregnancy, all three options are equally safe places to give birth, make sure the maternity services work together and have sufficient training so they are experienced and comfortable in all three settings.

Choice can also lead to better birth outcomes, increased likelihood of straightforward births, and improved birth satisfaction. It may also result in higher self-esteem and increase parents’ confidence in looking after their baby.

Further reading:
NCT Choice of place of birth