Abstract
Background: In Australia there have been regulatory and insurance changes negatively affecting homebirth. Aim: The aim of this study is to explore the characteristics, needs and experiences of women choosing to have a homebirth in Australia. Methods: A national survey was conducted and promoted through social media networks to women who have planned a homebirth in Australia. Data were analysed to generate descriptive statistics. Findings: 1681 surveys were analysed. The majority of women indicated a preference to give birth at home with a registered midwife. However, if a midwife was not available, half of the respondents indicated they would give birth without a registered midwife (freebirth) or find an unregistered birthworker. A further 30% said they would plan a hospital or birth centre birth. In choosing homebirth, women disclosed that they wanted to avoid specific medical interventions and the medicalised hospital environment. Nearly 60% of women reported at least one risk factor that would have excluded them from a publicly funded homebirth programme. Many women described their previous hospital experience as traumatic (32%) and in some cases, leading to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD, 6%). Only 5% of women who reported on their homebirth experience considered it to be traumatic (PTSD, 1%). The majority of these were associated with how they were treated when transferred to hospital in labour. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to expand homebirth options in Australia and humanise mainstream maternity care. A potential rise in freebirth may be the consequences of inaction.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 396-404 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Women and Birth |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jul 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2020 Australian College of Midwives
Keywords
- Australia
- government policy
- homebirth
- women