GENERAL PRACTITIONERS' ATTITUDES TO HOME BIRTHS

EDM number 467 in 1994-95, proposed by Audrey Wise on 24/01/1995.

That this House deplores the action of some general practitioners who are removing from their practices women who wish to give birth at home, despite the Government's stated policy that women should be given unbiased information and be able to exercise choice as to place of birth; notes the evidence collected in a survey conducted by the National Childbirth Trust on this, which also shows that scare tactics are being used and false information given to prevent women from exercising choice; reminds the Government of the research accepted by them showing that there is no evidence that the safest policy is for all women to give birth in hospital; and therefore demands that guidelines be issued to General Practitioners making it clear to them that women must be able to exercise choice of place of birth without fear of retaliation.

This motion has been signed by a total of 69 MPs.