Understanding Freebirth and Birth Choices in Gloucestershire
The NHS defines unassisted birth (sometimes called freebirth) as giving birth without a registered healthcare professional present.
There is no single official definition of “freebirth”, but broadly speaking it refers to intentionally giving birth without a midwife or doctor present.
- It is important to distinguish planned freebirth from “born before arrival” (BBA), which refers to an unplanned birth without a professional present.
Women can access NHS care during pregnancy, labour or after birth if they choose. This means they can engage with healthcare services following an unassisted birth and can still receive postnatal care.
Home births in Gloucestershire
In Gloucestershire, home birth services were suspended in November 2025 due to safety concerns raised by staff. Prior to November, home births accounted for fewer than 2% of births locally, around 4 to 6 per month, and freebirths were even fewer.
Because the numbers are so small, it is difficult to draw any meaningful conclusions about any link between the suspension of home births and changes in freebirth numbers.
There are ongoing discussions about a future model for home birth services in Gloucestershire, which are expected to be considered further this autumn.
Birth Choices
We believe that women and families should be supported and empowered in their birth choices where possible, while keeping mothers and babies safe.
For some women and birthing people, freebirth is a deeply personal decision linked to previous experiences, autonomy, or concerns about maternity care.
Women are encouraged to discuss their options with a midwife and may be referred to our Birth Options Clinic for further support.
While rare, some women do choose freebirth in order to maintain control and autonomy over their birth experience. It should only be considered after receiving full information about potential risks and alternatives.
Birth without a midwife or doctor present may carry increased risks, particularly if complications arise unexpectedly.
Professor Mark Pietroni, Director for Safety and Medical Director explains:
"While doulas, for example, can be supportive and act as advocates, they are not trained medical professionals and therefore cannot attend a birth in the formal clinical sense, which is the role of a midwife or doctor."
“Freebirthing is a choice some people make and where they do, it is important they understand the risks involved. When things do go wrong, they can escalate rapidly and may be catastrophic. These are the key risks people need to be aware of.”
Professor Mark Pietroni, Director for Safety and Medical Director