Why would anyone choose a poorly resourced, poorly supported home birth in Ireland when modern, fully-staffed hospitals are now available to everyone? Here’s why: in Irish hospitals labouring women are treated with something close to disdain.

The burden of responsibility on midwives when assisting at home births is too great for them to be on their own, a coroner has said.

A couple who prepared for what they hoped would be an idyllic home birth experienced a nightmare instead, an inquest has heard.