Midwife-supported home births scrapped in Guernsey

Supporting home births creates additional pressures for midwifery services

Midwife-supported homebirths will not be re-introduced in Guernsey after their suspension due to coronavirus.

The committee for health and social care explained it is difficult for a small team to accommodate the births.

It said that if the service was reinstated, it may impact deliveries on Loveridge Ward in Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

A spokesperson said they were "very sorry" to parents who wanted to give birth at home.

The committee said homebirths rely on a demanding on-call commitment from community midwives on top of their contracted hours.

To facilitate a birth at home, two of the five midwives are required to be on-call for 24 hours a day, for up to five weeks at a time.

Deputy Tina Bury, vice president of the committee for health and social care, said: "The midwifery team is small and it was simply not sustainable or safe in the long-term to provide the kind of on-call cover needed to support homebirths.

"We have to focus our limited resources where they are of greatest benefit to the significant majority of women who choose to give birth on Loveridge Ward.

"Nevertheless, we are very sorry for the impact this will have on expectant parents who had their hearts set on giving birth at home.