Home births on the increase

Tuesday 09 December 2014

More women are choosing to give birth in the comfort of their own homes in Jersey.

The numbers have almost doubled in the last year with 24 babies born out of hospital so far in 2014, compared to 14 in the whole of last year.

Unlike Guernsey where staffing shortages have led to mums-to-be being denied home births, all pregnant women in the Island considered to be low risk have the option to stay at home. Those who have chosen to give birth at home are assigned a community midwife and given a personalised care plan.

New NHS guidelines for England and Wales are suggesting that just under half of women could opt to have their babies at home or at a birthing centre run by midwives rather than in hospital because they are at extremely low risk of complications.

Although Jersey doesn’t have a birthing centre, the Health department say they are looking at making changes to the maternity unit now to offer some of the same facilities, before it moves to a new hospital in about ten year's time.

The matter of home births is being raised in the States today by newly-elected St Saviour No. 2 Deputy Louise Doublet who is Chairman of the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel. 

She said: "It fits into the whole idea of looking after a child before it is born. It's about making sure women have the information available to them before they go to give birth so that they can choose what's best for them."