Govt measures 'could outlaw home birthing'

The National Maternity Coalition says new measures from the Federal Government to expand birth choices for women could effectively make home birthing illegal.

The Maternity Coalition's president and convenor of Birth Choices Illawarra, Lisa Metcalfe, says the changes support prenatal and postnatal care in the home, which is positive.

But it will make it impossible for midwives to obtain insurance to conduct home birthing.

"The problem then comes with the national registration, where if you don't hold insurance for births outside of hospitals, the midwives cannot attend women and birth their babies," she said.

"Yes, they will be deregistered, and there is potential for criminal proceedings to be take against midwives."

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