Free or unassisted birthing

Following the Channel 5 programme broadcast 9 July 2008 (Extraordinary People - Outlaw Birth) featuring three women in the UK and the USA who opted to give birth unassisted at home, the NMC would like to clarify the following points.

Legal position
In the UK it is legal to give birth at home without any professional or medical help.

However, it is illegal for an unqualified, unregistered person to perform the role of a doctor or midwife during the birth.

Standards and resources
As part of their training, all midwives are taught that they must

• Work in partnership with women to facilitate a birth environment that supports their needs.
• Provide care that is delivered in a warm, sensitive and compassionate way.

The Midwives rules and standards states that a midwife

• Should respect the woman’s right to refuse any advice given

The Code states that

• You must listen to the people in your care and respond to their concerns and preferences

In addition, a recent report from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) states that

• Women who choose a home delivery as their birth option should be supported in that choice, appropriate to the level of clinical risk.

Responsibility
In a free birth situation, the mother-to-be takes full responsibility for the birth of her baby.

The mother may choose to have any friend, partner or relative present at the birth.

They may support the mother emotionally but it is not legal for them to assist her in the birth or take any kind of responsibility for the successful outcome of the birth.

Midwives must respect a woman's decision to have a free or unassisted birth.

The Code and NMC Midwives rules and standards require midwives to be supportive and not be judgemental or critical of this choice.

If midwives have any concerns at all about the woman's decision, they must address them to their Supervisor of Midwives.

Further information
Free birth advice sheet [PDF]
Supervision of Midwives
Midwives rules and standards [PDF]
Standards for pre-registration midwifery education  [PDF]
NMC Circular 03/2009 [PDF]
RCOG Standards for Maternity Care [PDF] (external website)
The Code [PDF]