Homebirth Rights and Responsibility – A response to Susie O'Brien from Justine Caines

Let’s lock up the homebirthers.  I must admit it has got a ring to it.  Lets make the law retrospective and capture Bill Grainger and his wife Natalie, Noni Hazlehurst, Tracy Bartram, not to mention Cameron Daddo, Tropfest’s John Polson, John Butler, and even former Prime Minister Bob Hawke’s daughter, Sue.  They could join the thousands more, amongst them doctors and lawyers who have chosen homebirth after considered research.

Susie O’Brien’s piece was irresponsible and insulting. Her own story does not have any relationship to the safety of homebirth.  She states that she had complexities in pregnancy which resulted in induction with resultant complications.  Inductions do not take place at home. Homebirth safety comes from maximising wellness with a healthy unmedicated woman cared for by a midwife who has got to know the woman and her family over many months.  The vast majority of these births do not go horribly wrong without warning and for the women choosing homebirth, the benefits far outweigh the minute chance of a problem.

The other assumption in most of these arguments is that emergency care in our hospital system is immediate. This flow on from this fallacy is that hospital birth is always safe and is superior in all cases.  In private hospitals obstetricians and anaesthetists are off site most of the time, often called in, sometimes from their homes or beds.  Large public teaching hospitals have staff 24/7 but with competing interests and pressure  in these busy units ‘instant’ detection and response of a problem is rare.

As a columnist Susie feels qualified to dictate the limit of women’s rights.  Homebirth is too risky for a baby therefore women must not have that choice; it is a selfish woman who puts her needs above her child.  Perhaps Susie’s next column can reveal if she supports the rights of women to have a caesarean when there is no medical need?  Is that OK for babies?  We know that at least 30% of these babies need care from a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit simply as a result of their mode of birth.  What is the limit then of the “selfish” woman – is she selfish exposing her baby to a 30% chance of a NICU visit.

Families will continue to choose homebirth.  We have a responsibility to provide them with a registered midwife.  Nicola Roxon’s legal background has served her well.   She understands Australia’s responsibilities to international conventions such as the Convention of the Elimination Against all forms of Discrimination and case law that has established the rights of adults to determine how or not their body is treated.

Whilst many women may not choose homebirth the majority respect the rights of women to make decisions. Most do not demonise women’s choice.  They also understand that parents will make thousands of decisions affecting their children.  Yes, they should be responsible for those decisions and demonstrate they have made an informed decision.  This applies for those choosing medical intervention as well as homebirth.

What every Australian family deserves is access to a registered health professional, Minister Roxon knows that it is possible to provide this.  Homebirth care must be funded and indemnified like all medical births are. In this I am thankful that Nicola Roxon is our Health Minister rather than Susie O’Brien.

Response to Herald Sun Article - Home Births a Major Risk by Susie O'Brien. 8/06/2010
Read the Susie O'Brien article here.