Professor Anne Matthews:

Very few women access home births. One of the problems with the systems over time has been the fragmentation of home birth services away from the hospital delivered services. In Drogheda, which we were just talking about, integration has improved along with governance of home births within the overall maternity system. It is really important for women to see that as one integrated system based on the care they need when they need it.

A very small number on either side of the Border access home birth care. The important thing is to have a pathway so that, if it is not working, there is access to the maternity service in a hospital or birthing centre.