Letter: Home births: high risk cases put off GPs
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Your article on general practioners and childbirth ('I had my baby, but I lost my GP', 18 October) raised a number of interesting points, not least the punitive removal of patients from GPs' lists.
It is, however, a mistake to ascribe this reluctance to undertake intrapartum obstetric care to all GPs. In the rural areas surrounding Bath, for example, a majority of women are offered confinement under care of their own midwife, with the support of the general practioner in case of difficulties. In my own practice, approaching 70 per cent of all deliveries take place at home or in the tiny cottage hospital at Frome.
It is not merely the fear of litigation, or even the insultingly low remuneration, which makes us reluctant, however, to offer this service to women with major difficulties such as breech presentation or high blood pressure. My recurring nightmare is being faced with an emergency situation but being unable to take appropriate action (such as a caesarian section) in order to save a mother or child. Worse still is to know that the outcome is a child who will be severely mentally and physically handicapped for life.
Unlike obstetricians and midwives, we cannot hand over such a disaster to a NHS trust's lawyers and put it firmly behind us. The very nature of our job means care to all members of the family from cradle to grave.
Marjorie Tew's evidence on home births being safer than hospital reflects experience of normal so-called 'low risk' confinements, and GPs have a responsibility to support these. However, mothers have a responsibility to their unborn children in higher risk circumstances to listen when discussing their choice of place of birth.
Yours sincerely, BILL IRISH Mendip Country Practice Coleford, Somerset 18 October
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments