Why giving birth at home may be safer, even for first time mums

The National Institute for Health and Care has said that giving birth in England and Wales may be safer at a midwife-led centre than in hospital.

18:04 03 December 2014

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has said that giving birth at home may be safer even for first time mothers.

Professor Mark Baker, clinical practice director at NICE, said: "Most women are healthy and have straightforward pregnancies and births.

"Over the years evidence has emerged which shows that, for this group of women, giving birth in a midwife-led unit instead of a traditional labour ward is a safe option.

"Research also shows that a home birth is generally safer than hospital for pregnant women at low risk of complications who have given birth before."
However, Rhiannon Davies, wouldn’t take the advice. "It's a value-for-money policy, it's a dangerous policy and it will put women's lives at risk.

"There's really no such thing as a straightforward pregnancy.

"Even as a second or third-time mother, you have no way of knowing if your baby might be born with a cord around its neck or whether your placenta will break down as you're delivering."