Sir, - I was delighted to read Carol Coulter's positive article about home births in Monday's paper. As a mother who gave birth to children at home, it is nice not to be portrayed as an extremist, but as a rational person who wants the best for herself and her children. The Department of Health's report on the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme says that "on medical grounds, the delivery of babies should take place in consultant-staffed maternity units." When I asked Mr Brian Cowen, Minister for Health, on what scientific grounds this statement became official policy, the reply I recieved was that it was the "opinion" of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist s and the Royal College of Gynaecologists that the best place for delivery was hospital. I replied that no opinion should be taken without scientific back-up and once again I asked for the names of the studies which support the Department of Health position. His secretary replied that the matter was closed and no further correspondence was necessary.
Is this openness? Is this accountability? Was the language of that report decided on a whim? The 19 women who went to the High Court to insist on their right to have Ann Kelly as their midwife didn't decide it on a whim. And neither did I when I fought the South Eastern Health Board for my right to have a home birth in 1993. In the end I had to go to my in-laws' house in Dublin where I had the wonderful Kate Spillane as my midwife. I took my case to the Ombudsman and won - in December 1996!
Well done to those women for their strength and commitment and well done to the North Western Health Board for setting up a home-birth service. May the other health boards follow suit. - Yours, etc.,
Higginstown, Kilderry, Co Kilkenny.