NCT Statement on ONS Home Birth Statistics

Released on 29/09/2008

Mary Newburn, Head of Policy Research, NCT, says;

The NCT welcomes the ONS research on home birth. These figures bring together the whole of the UK and present data for home birth from1955 to the present day.  This will help to provide background and cultural information on home birth and will show how home birth has changed over the last 50 years. 

It is very pleasing to see that home birth rates are on the increase. However, many women around the UK still find it difficult to access a home birth. There is a lack of balanced information and low midwifery staffing levels mean that the option of a home birth is either not being offered or services end up being withdrawn at short notice.
 

If the Government’s choice of place of birth is to be implemented by the end of 2009, considerable work must be done to increase access to home birth.

Contact

Press Office
Email: press@nct.org.uk