Protecting human rights in childbirth
Registered Charity Number 1151152
Longer reads, analysis and your stories
Becky had a terrible experience with her second pregnancy for a number of reasons. A key issue was that the hospital had noted her due date as two weeks ahead of Becky’s own calculations, which led to a sustained campaign of pressure and coercion to deliver much earlier than Becky had wanted to. Read Becky’s story
Anna suffered a horrific birth full of coercion in 2023, compounded by the fact that her disability birth plan was never seen or followed during her labour. The trauma is long-lasting and has led her and her husband to decide not to have any more children. Here she bravely explains in her own words.
Birthrights’ Training Manager, Farah Lodhi, shares her reflections and learnings from our Baring-funded Community Conversations project.
As part of our Baring-funded Community Conversations project, Birthrights is proud to share our partnership with WOMB on an upcoming Community Conversations event taking place in Cardiff this Thursday, 5th February 2026.
Birthrights welcomes the NMC’s expression of commitment to human-rights centred maternity care in its new Principles. However, to achieve this goal, principles which breach human rights law requirements must be amended, the role of doulas must be respected, and more attention must be paid to the support needed by midwives from their employers.
Birthrights is joined in conversation by Dr Kate Whitehouse to talk about maternity care and her experiences as a doctor within both the US and the UK maternity systems
“My name is Thando Zwane and I’m a birthkeeper and doula and founder of the birth group Birthing in Colour. I work all over London in my capacity as birthkeeper.” Birthrights ‘Access Denied: Restrictions on Home Birth in the UK’ Report Case Study
Ella’s story: a second-time mum with hospital anxiety and a home birth agreed, found out the service was suspended at 32 weeks pregnant – Birthrights ‘Access Denied: Restrictions on Home Birth in the UK’ Report Case Study
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
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