By: Alan Melville

Alan Melville
Wed, 26 Jul 2023 22:45:42 +0000

“It started to glorify unmedicated childbirth as a more ‘noble’ option for women. It encouraged mothers to go without pain relief for as long as they can stand it. This was supposed to turn giving birth into a more empowering experience.”

It was. And yet midwife-led maternity units in the NHS have a much higher rate of stillborn babies, babies with injuries due to the birthing process, and dead and injured mothers that non-midwife-led units.
Maybe the midwifery profession needs to take a long hard look at itself and quit putting ideology before mothers’ and babies’ health. Consultant obstetricians and gynaecologists are NOT the enemy – death and injury are. Have the consultants available at every birth; it’s not rocket science.