Maia’s story: a second-time mum who had to fight for a home birth
Maia’s story: a second-time mum who had to fight for a home birth, Birthrights ‘Access Denied: Restrictions on Home Birth in the UK’ Report Case Study
Birthing “Outside of Guidance”
Is it “outside of guidance”, or is it a demand for personalised rights-respecting care? … Read more
Scarlett’s story: a second-time mum expecting twins who wanted a second home birth
Scarlett’s story: a second-time mum expecting twins who wanted a second home birth, Birthrights ‘Access Denied: Restrictions on Home Birth in the UK’ Report Case Study
Reimagining Safety in Maternity Care
After spearheading Birthright’s Home Birth campaign, our policy and campaigns manager Elif Ege reflects on how ‘safety concerns’ are too often used as an excuse to restrict or suspend maternity services…
Channeling our energies: Birthrights’ response to the UK’s racist riots
Last week, Birthrights channeled our energy into writing to local, regional and national politicians and policy makers to make sure they were considering the needs of pregnant women and birthing people in their resilience and emergency plans. We insisted that safe measures be put in place to enable access to hospital, community and home-based maternity care, particularly for Black, Brown and Muslim women and birthing people while ensuring the safety of staff.
Part of the problem: the need for regulators to go back to basics
Healthcare regulators are meant to protect the public but their toxic cultures perpetrate so many of the key problems rife in maternity care.
What’s in store for maternity care: reflections on the King’s Speech
With a new government and the first Labour King’s Speech in 14 years, what have we learnt about what’s in store for maternity care?
Toxic culture within UK’s Nursing Regulator: Independent Culture Review of NMC
The review of the NMC undertaken by Rise Associates rightly asks how the NMC … Read more
A dangerous legal inaccuracy: The Birth Trauma APPG Report
In response to page 66 of The Birth Trauma APPG Report, we are hugely concerned by the legal inaccuracy contained within the report which suggests that consent may be disregarded in so-called “emergency situations”. The best way to reduce/prevent birth trauma is to respect the rights and voices of all women and birthing people throughout their pregnancy and birth.
International Women’s Day 2024: Our Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls
By submitting evidence to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, we directed attention to the different forms of violence directed against women and birthing people in maternity care, and provided information about the current issues faced by women and birthing people based on the knowledge and experience that we gain directly from women and birthing people and healthcare professionals through our advice service and trainings.