Hundreds join Facebook bid to fight threat to home births in Fife
Hundreds of women have joined an online campaign against threats to end Fife's home birth service.
- By Claire Warrender
- Published in the Courier : 16.08.11
- Published online : 16.08.11 @ 12.55pm
More than 400 people have signed up to a 'Right to Home Birth for parents of Fife' Facebook page (link) calling on NHS Fife to drop its controversial plans.
The health board announced last month (link) that it was reviewing the service which allows expectant mothers to give birth at home, citing a drop in demand and improvements to maternity care as the reasons behind the move.
It is one of a number of proposals in a list of efficiency savings put forward by NHS Fife's operational division, and could save the board £33,000.
Only 40 women in Fife gave birth at home last year, 30 fewer than in 2009, and so far this year only 10 women have registered an interest in the service.
However, parents and midwives say they are outraged by the proposals and have called for the service to be protected.
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) expressed fears that removing women's choice could result in more people trying to deliver at home without any professional help.
RCM Scotland director Gillian Smith said: "We are very clear that this is removing women's choice. To say it is because of efficiency savings is a red herring because the money that will be saved is miniscule in the greater scheme of things.
"I'm not entirely sure they have their costings right because we know it's nowhere near as expensive for women to deliver at home as it is if they are in hospital."
Ms Smith added that a drop in demand for the service was not a valid argument.
Choice
She said: "This year 10 women have registered an interest. That's 10 women who have made a choice to give birth at home in familiar surroundings. If we are really offering women a choice then why should they be denied that choice?"
Ms Smith praised NHS Fife's "fantastic" midwife-led birthing service at Forth Park Hospital, Kirkcaldy, which delivers almost 1500 babies a year.
"In theory it should have the same philosophy as a home birth and that's what the board is hanging its hat on. However no matter how similar, it isn't a home birth and people are still having to come into hospital.
"Women who want a home birth will have to hire their own midwife in future, which is prohibitive for some women as it would cost £2000 to £3000.
"My concern is women who want home births will stay at home till the last minute and may deliver without any help at all. That, for me, is a bigger worry."
A spokeswoman for NHS Fife said many women chose to give birth in the midwife-led unit because it gave them a homely environment and their experience was not medicalised.
"Last year there were a total of 3772 births in Fife, with 1469 taking place in our midwifery unit," she said. "Over recent years the numbers of women requesting home births has been falling."
The spokeswoman said the majority of women were transferred home after six hours into the care of community maternity teams.
"That, coupled with the numbers of women choosing to give birth in our midwife-led unit and the falling number of home birth requests has led to our review of the home birth service."
02.27pm - 16.08.2011 Dr Sarah Dillon - Cupar, United Kingdom Report This
The "corporate response" letter received by the Facebook campaign from Mr John Wilson, Chief Executive of NHS Fife's Operational Division, clearly states that 60 women were booked for a homebirth in 2009, and 66 in 2010. This shows an increase not decrease in demand.
02.31pm - 16.08.2011 Dr Sarah Dillon - Cupar, United Kingdom Report This
The same letter states that to its date (8/8/11) 20 home births had been requested - there remains another 5 months of 2011 before demand this year can be properly assessed. The figure drop is those requested homebirths that go ahead, but this has nothing to do with demand but birth unpredictability
02.34pm - 16.08.2011 Dr Sarah Dillon - Cupar, United Kingdom Report This
The stated figure in the article that "so far this year only 10 women have registered an interest in the service" does not represent the official figures of NHS Fife and at least 13 home birth requests are still to be honoured before the end of the year. Many more are now already being refused.
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