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Midwives comment on the Lancet editorial on home birth
Commenting on the Lancet’s editorial “Home birth – proceed with caution,” published today (July 30), Cathy Warwick, general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives said: “We are deeply disappointed and dismayed that Lancet has published an editorial indicating that women would choose to harm their baby in favour of their own needs by choosing a home birth. The editorial also cites research that is incomplete and methodologically flawed. There is no evidence to suggest that hospital births are safer than homebirths. A hospital birth cannot be thought of as being intrinsically safe and the increasing medicalisation of childbirth cannot or be used as a reason to deter women from choosing midwifery-led care options, such as home birth.”
“Medical intervention is not a ‘magic wand’ in reducing risk, especially if outcomes are rare and causes complex. Ensuring appropriate planning of care delivered by registered skilled professionals regardless of birthing environment is more of an issue. Studies of midwifery-led care (for home birth) have, so far, indicated improved outcomes for mothers and no increase in risk to the baby.
“For appropriately selected low risk women, with the right support services in place, home birth in the UK is a safe option for those who choose it. Childbirth is a normal and physiological process not an illness that requires medicalisation. All health professionals should provide women with information that is based on assessing their needs and circumstances and entrenched in a belief in delivering safe, quality care irrespective of the environment.”
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Last Updated: 07/30/2010 | Source: RCM - Press Release - 30 July 2010
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