The Victorian government is planning to expand a publicly-funded homebirth (PFHB) program to three additional hospitals in the state, including the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne.
The expansion of the program, which already runs at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital at Sunshine Hospital in Melbourne, was confirmed to AAP yesterday by a Victorian government spokesperson.
“It’s so important that women have choice in the care they access,” they told AAP.
Kristyn Begnell, the coordinator of Homebirth Australia, is thrilled to hear the PFHB program is planning to expand in Victoria.
“PFHB is especially important for low socio-economic communities who cannot afford the cost of a Privately Practicing Midwife for homebirth, or those who cannot access due to geographical barriers,” she said.
“PFHB programs have historically been very restrictive, unfortunately not catering to the women who need it most, such as women with high risk pregnancies and first time mums.”
In the last year, 97 per cent of births in Australia took place in a hospital while just 0.5 per cent were home births, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
However, Homebirth Australia reports an uptick in the interest and demand for homebirth. In 2020, while giving birth in a hospital was the most popular choice for first-time mothers, mothers with one or more children chose to give birth at home more than any other place of birth.
In Australia, there are currently 17 publicly-funded homebirth programs, but Begnell said this is not enough.
“We would really love to see these restrictions eased so that those vulnerable groups can benefit from having a known midwife for their pregnancies and births,” she said.
“We strongly encourage all maternity facilities to engage with consumers from the planning stages, to ensure that the needs of women using these services are considered throughout.”
The Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne was founded in 1856 and is one of the oldest and most renowned women’s hospitals worldwide. Every year, the hospital delivers more than 9,000 babies.