Homebirths to Become Illegal in Australia

Obviously, there's some conflict of interest going on between the ob/gyn community and the gov't rather than proper research being done re: birth safety. Infections and iatrogenically caused complications are WAY higher a risk in hospital births than home birth. Thus, banning homebirth is a stupid, unscientific idea. They need to read the article "Fish Can't See Water" by a guy from the WHO... Reveals a lot.

So, if a neighbour(unqualified) helps with a home birth that's ok, but if a trained mid-wife assists with a normal birth that's not.  Of course, women should be able to choose whether to deliver their babies!  At the very least, there should be a birthing centre physically removed from acute care hospitals which are often full of infectious bacteria.

Wow! So, if a mother helps her daughter give birth in the outback, Grandma goes to jail?!  How perverse can it be against the AUS people?!

 To see how outrageous it gets in the USA, how about a man apparently "destroyed" for doing right!  He seems to have disobeyed commands to discriminate against blacks & men at work and refused to lie about work-hours to allow his famous npo employer to not pay required OT wages. http://buzz.yahoo.com/article/1:50cd1a9a183758039b0841aa738c3f0b:06ae5af5805500b879aff7c39784909a;_ylt=AuZj2txYGGd_07GOFItZ3rE7vJZ4

Why do they stop there? Why not ban ambo's from treating ppl until they are at hospital? Or a GP assisting someone having a heart attack in their waiting rooms? I mean really? Where is the logic?

I chose to birth my baby in a hospital, intervention was recomended, it went very badly. I thought for many months after 'If I had only stayed home".

Excuse me but I find this an absolutely idiotic development in human affairs.

It doesn't even have anything to do with "rights" as more to do with NATURE ... A woman's body is built to give birth naturally. It ought to be encouraged! Making home birth illegal... what's next? .... you cannot have a piss in the forest? I really think that authorities should get more out of our lives rather than dictate how and when natural things like Birth are handled by the individual. Heck, the road to degeneration is paved with the dollars of powerful lobby groups like The Royal Australasian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Vested interests I say....If you have a home birth the hospital won't make any cash off you!

I think that is not the right approach nor logical. 

I am glad to Australian public does not adder to this and wants to maintain the right to shows.

That's right jazzyzazzy!  Women should be able to choose to homebirth.  There are highly qualified Midwives able and willing to assist women with homebirthing but the Australian Rudd Government has decided to remove that choice. 

Homebirths also free up beds in our already overwhelmed public hospital system.  It makes no sense for the Government to do this.  A basic human right is being taken away from Australian women.

@Common sense - you are correct.  It is a much greater risk of infections when birthing in hospitals.  There has already been research done to support that fact, however it does not support the government's position so the government will ignore it.

Good point Barbara. 

After July 2010 in Australia, any unqualified person could assist with a homebirth  and not fear prosecution, yet a highly qualified and trained midwife faces a AUS$30,000 fine for assisting and potentially saving the lives of both mother and baby in the event of complications during the home birth. 

Perhaps the next generation of midwives will be forced to go underground by getting training but not officially completing the course, therefore not being "Qualified" by the medical board and authorities.

How ridiculous is that?  I could go on, but I'll stop there for now!

God save our midwives!

Hey "@notwonderful"  Grandma would be okay to assist with a homebirth after July 2010 as long as she is not a qualified midwife. 

Its the life-saving midwife qualification that will get you fined AUS$30,000.

That's why unless the Rudd government does a backflip on this, homebirths in Australia will go underground next year.  (Great work Mr K-Rudd. - Who's your next target Kevin? - the Blue Nurses? The Royal Flying Dr Service?  The Salvation Army? Why don't you then kick them while they're down too, just to be sure!)

Fair shake of the sauce bottle Kevin!  Leave our midwives alone!

Hi Courtney. 

I am sorry to hear of your terrible experience in a hospital birth.

My wife just had another wonderful home birth a week ago.  No intervention.  No pressure.  It was a peaceful, wonderful, natural event.  Much better than any of the hospital births we experienced which were mostly hellish and full of fear and threats.  We were ready to go to a hospital if complications arose, but thank God it all went well.

Neil

Good point "A Dad".

Vested interests you suggest?  Could be. Who knows? You may be onto something there! 

The government seems hell-bent on controlling all aspects of our lives instead of taking care of more important things that governments are supposed to be doing, like infrastructure projects, expanding our defense forces, trade, diplomacy, investing in science, medical research, etc.

The government should leave pregnant women alone and allow them to choose where they wish to have their babies and with whom.  Midwives should be given much more respect for the professional service they provide home birthing mothers.  To hell with the Royal Australasian College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.  They can have their role to play in birthing IF women choose to use them, not IF they pressure the government to force women to birth in hospitals under their care.

Neil

It is so important that women be free to choose their birth places and attendants--for their health and the health and well-being of their children.  I am disappointed by the government's move of control.  The government of Australia should not think it OWNS the body or birth of a woman!

I am shocked, I am not falling pregnant this or next year with my third baby, as I was going to have a homebirth. This is a wiolation of women rights!