New rules may mean that mother’s may not be able to have a home birth

Under the current law mothers-to-be can choose to give birth at home even if their doctor thinks that it may put the baby at risk.

Medical Journal, The Lancet, has stated that mother’s should not be able to override their doctor’s advice after research has suggested that home births are more risky than a hospital delivery.

The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology carried out the study and found that in 500,000 births across the world, the death rate of home births was 0.2%, twice as high as births in hospitals.

In reply to the study The Lancet wrote, ‘Women have the right to chose how and where to give birth but they do not have the right to put their baby at risk.’

However, the study also found that the majority of pregnant women do not usually go against their doctor’s advice.

Pat O’Brien, from the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists, said, ‘If anything, it is the opposite as mothers will often put themselves at risk for their baby.’

By Lauren King