Fight for birth rights- Monbulk couple Domonic and Victoria McKay with their newborn son and m

By Tania Martin
A MONBULK couple has slammed the Federal Government for legislation, which is set to take away the choice for home births.
Domonic and Victoria McKay recently experienced the joy of a home birth, welcoming their first son into the world on 9 July.
“Our research showed us that home birth is just as safe for mother and baby and, in fact, is much less likely to lead to medical intervention,” Ms Mc Kay said.
“For us, this was a much better option and for me to come out of the birth in the best possible health…being at home is also better for the mother’s ability to birth.”
The future of home birthing is now under threat.
Legislation is currently being debated in the Senate to prohibit midwives from performing home births as of July next year.
Home-birth midwives worldwide are currently unable to obtain indemnity insurance as they represent a small portion of the workforce.
The McKay’s midwife, Helen Brown, said the number of midwives was small and there wasn’t a large enough pool of cash to draw from in the case of a compensation claim.
The proposed legislation would make it illegal for this to continue to happen with home birth midwives facing a $30,000 fine or two years in jail if caught practising.
Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has defended the move, saying the government was attempting to provide Medicare funding for midwives for the first time.
She said this would extend to providing insurance for midwives who operate independently but in collaboration with general practitioners or obstetricians and have referral protocols in place.
“If we try to include home birthing in that indemnity product, it may well be totally unaffordable,” Ms Roxon said.
She admitted that women had the right to choose but a Commonwealth review had not recommended the government pay for home-birthing.
“Paying millions of dollars for an insurance product for a very small number of home births may not be sensible and actually might make it,” Ms Roxon said.
Ms McKay said it was just not fair to take away a mother’s right to choose.
“Especially when you look at the situation in the hospitals…it’s hard to find midwifery care in hospitals and birthing centres are few and far between,” Ms McKay said.
Ms McKay said just because home birthing was a minority, it should not be struck-off.
However, the Federal Government’s new legislation does not exclude ‘free births’, which means women could still have their babies at home but without a qualified carer.
Ms Brown said this new legislation would also lead to dangerous free births.
She said it would force women who really wanted a home birth to go underground.