Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2004
117 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans he has to encourage home births; his views on whether there are now fewer opportunities for women to avail of a home birth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7090/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy of my Department is that on medical grounds, the delivery of babies should take place in consultant staffed maternity units. It is generally accepted that this policy has contributed to the marked decrease in the level of maternal, perinatal and infant mortality. The maternal mortality rate decreased from 24.8 per 100, 000 live births and stillbirths in 1971 to 1.8 in 2000. The perinatal mortality rate fell from 22.8 per 1,000 live births and stillbirths in 1971 to 9.0 in 2000 while the infant mortality rate fell from 18.0 per 1,000 births to 5.8 in 2001 — Source: Health Statistics, 2002, Table B11.
Three pilot home birth projects were established between 1999 and 2001 with funding from my Department: a community midwifery service, conducted in Cork by the Southern Health Board; a hospital outreach approach conducted by the Western Health Board and based at the University College Hospital, Galway; and a DOMINO/outreach project, domiciliary care in and out of hospital, based at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street. The Galway project was suspended by the Western Health Board in 2003. This has resulted in fewer opportunities for women to have home births in the Galway area.
The external evaluation of the three pilot home birth projects in Dublin, Cork and Galway and the service in the South Eastern Health Board area has now been completed. This evaluation was carried out under the auspices of the national domiciliary births group, established by the health board chief executive officers in 2003 at the request of my Department. The national domiciliary births group plans to hold information sessions during this month and report to the CEOs by mid-June. The group's report will make recommendations on the long-term approach, arising from the outcome of the pilot schemes. This report will inform the development of future national policies, procedures and protocols for domiciliary births.
Meanwhile, health boards in general make available grants towards midwifery services in respect of home births where women contract an independent midwife. The maximum grant is €1,270 for full midwifery service.
