Frances Fitzgerald
Question:172 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health and Children his Department's policy in relation to independent midwives operating in the community. [22014/98]
Written Answers. - Midwifery Services.
Independent midwives operating in the community provide care to mothers who wish to give birth at home. Departmental policy in relation to home births is informed by the report of the mother and infant care review group which was circulated to interested parties in April 1997. This report gives a strong endorsement to the policy that the safest place to have a baby is in a well-equipped and staffed maternity hospital or unit. Submissions to the review group suggested that one of the main reasons why women opt to give birth at home is their desire for a positive experience in friendly, familiar surroundings where they retain full control. In response to this, the review group recommended that certain approaches be pilot tested such as (i) the setting aside of accommodation in a maternity hospital to facilitate delivery in a homely, non-clinical manner, and (ii) a domiciliary care in and out of hospital — DOMINO — approach which would allow the midwife/general practitioner to monitor the mother throughout her pregnancy, be with her in hospital and to continue to provide care on her return home.
The report recognised that arrangements must be made to cater for those women who wish to give birth at home and an expert group has been established under the chief executive officers of the health boards to pilot the approaches suggested by the review group and to draw up procedures and protocols on home births. I understand that this group is due to present its report shortly.