Welcome to the Birth Centre Bristol website
12 February 2008:
The public will be consulted on a model of care for Bristol's future
maternity services this coming summer, while plans for Cossham
Birth Centre are moving forward.
See Recent news for further details.
Birth Centre Bristol is campaigning to change maternity services in Bristol by promoting a new environment for childbirth within the National Health Service for women in the city.
We are asking the Bristol Primary Care Trusts under the Bristol Health Services Plan to set up birth centres (community-based, midwife-led maternity units) in the Bristol area, where community midwives can look after women through their pregnancy, labour, birth and afterwards.
We know from experience in other parts of the country that over half of women have uncomplicated pregnancies and births and could safely give birth at home or in a birth centre near to where they live instead of going to hospital. We also know that many women do not like the obstetric model of care that is offered in hospital and that it results in more medical interventions.
Midwives are the experts in normal birth and within the private and homely setting of a birth centre can support women and their babies with one to one care. Women who have their babies in birth centres say that they feel more in control of their birth experience because they know the midwives and feel safe and confident in their care. Also, representatives from minority and ethnic groups, such as the Somali community in Easton, say that community-based birth centres would help to bring down the high intervention rates for their women.
There are over ninety birth centres around the country and they are very popular with both women and midwives.
We believe that women in Bristol should also have this choice.
