Homebirth in England: Factors that impact on job satisfaction for community midwives

Homebirth rates in England have been persistently low for more than 5 decades, with just 2.3% of women giving birth at home in 2013 (Office for National Statistics, 2014). While homebirths currently represent a relatively small proportion of births in England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published new national guidelines on intrapartum care that recommend healthy, low-risk pregnant women should be advised that birth at home or in a midwife-led unit is now particularly suitable for them (NICE, 2014). The recommendations are informed by research that has demonstrated that healthy women can give birth safely and cost-effectively if they choose a non-obstetric unit setting (Brockelhurst et al, 2011; Blix et al, 2012). This revised previous guidance (NICE, 2007) that urged caution, and has the potential to affect hundreds of thousands of births in England.