Advocates Defend ‘Freebirthing’ After Women Warned of Risks Following Rise During Lockdowns

Freebirthing advocates have defended the practice, saying many women have a very positive experience after the NHS warned of its potential dangers following a rise in the number of mothers choosing to labour without medical assistance. The number of free births is not officially documented but the number of home births—including those with no medical assistance and those which take place with a midwife present—are recorded, with an observable increase since the lockdown era began. Figures show an increase in home births, from 2.1 percent between 2016 and 2019, to 2.5 percent of all births in 2021, according to a report by the Health Service Journal, equating to about 17,400 of the 694,685 babies born that year....