An alarming investigation has uncovered that the National Health Service inadvertently directed pregnant women towards the controversial Free Birth Society, an organisation linked to tragic infant fatalities worldwide due to its promotion of labour without medical assistance.
How NHS Pathways Led to Controversial Content
Multiple NHS trusts were discovered signposting women considering 'free birth' to a charity website that, until very recently, referenced Free Birth Society podcasts as a source of 'empowering stories' for British women. This factsheet, provided by the Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services, contained a direct link to the FBS podcast, which medical experts condemn for radicalising women with dangerous misinformation.
The Free Birth Society, a multimillion-dollar enterprise run by former doulas Emilee Saldaya and Yolande Norris Clark, advocates an extreme form of unassisted childbirth. Their guidance discourages mothers from using doctors, midwives, or even routine pregnancy scans, promoting instead a completely medical-free approach to labour.
The Global Impact and NHS Response
A Guardian investigation identified 48 cases of late-term stillbirths, neonatal deaths, or serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants connected to the Free Birth Society. In 18 of these tragic cases, evidence strongly suggests FBS content significantly influenced decision-making, leading to potentially avoidable outcomes.
Although the NHS webpage 'Where to give birth: the options' quietly removed the link to the Aims factsheet in August 2024, several NHS trusts, including those in Cambridge, Gloucestershire, and East and North Hertfordshire, continued distributing patient information leaflets directing women to the FBS-recommending content until this week.
Following contact from The Guardian on Monday, Aims promptly removed all references to the FBS podcast from its online factsheet. A spokesperson stated they 'were not aware of the serious concerns now associated with FBS' and clarified that the listing was 'an example of material some freebirthing women were using, not as advice or endorsement'.
Understanding the Rise of Freebirthing in the UK
While freebirthing remains uncommon in Britain, experts confirm it's increasingly prevalent, driven by distrust of maternity services and fears of over-medicalisation. A 2024 study from Robert Gordon University found that 'a quest for a safer birth' and 'mistrust of institutional midwifery' were key factors influencing women's decisions.
Recent data from the Nursing and Midwifery Council recorded 142 free births between April 2023 and March 2024 across 47 NHS trusts, though this is considered a significant underestimate. Within this sample, the NMC reported one stillbirth and two neonatal deaths, though specific circumstances weren't detailed.
Professor Soo Downe, a senior midwife at the University of Lancashire, noted that 'although freebirthing is a first choice for a few, for most it seems to be a 'least worst' option.' This sentiment reflects broader concerns about maternity care standards, with the Care Quality Commission rating safety levels in almost two-thirds of English hospital maternity services as inadequate or requiring improvement.
The NHS has now issued a clear statement: 'The NHS does not endorse this society [FBS], or its ideology which could harm women.' They reaffirmed that while unassisted birth is a legal right in England, they 'strongly recommend accessing trained healthcare professionals to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both mother and baby.'
