Woman challenges refusal to allow home birth

A mother has challenged a refusal by the HSE to allow her have a home birth for her second child.

Yesterday the High Court heard the woman, who is 24 weeks pregnant, is being prevented from giving birth in a home setting by the HSE because of its “blanket” and “rigid” policy of not allowing women who have previously delivered children by caesarean section to have the next baby at home.

Her counsel Mathias Kelly told the court the HSE turned down his client’s application to give birth at home solely on the basis of her previous C-section.