'I fear the HSE won't step up': Pregnant women scrambling for options following closure of private midwife service

The former PMI midwives are in talks with an English insurance broker as a group to try and re-arrange insurance to continue working. File picture

Expectant women as far along as 38 weeks pregnant have been left scrambling for options after the sudden closure of a private midwifery service offering homebirths, a midwife working for them said.

Private Midwives Ireland (PMI) closed abruptly on Wednesday, citing financial pressures as did their UK parent company.

Community midwife Sarah McCann had one client at 38 weeks and three days pregnant that day.

“These women are just so upset,” she said. “They feel comfortable and safe with us because they know us and trust us now.

“I’m devastated for her and for the women of Ireland I’m devastated because they are now even more curtailed in their choices.”

The Coombe hospital has stepped in for this woman with Ms McCann welcome in as a support person, not a midwife.

She had eight PMI clients making up about 1/3 of her work, the remainder are under the HSE’s national homebirth service.

The two services applied different criteria with the HSE for example excluding women who had a caesarean section previously.

Ms McCann said this means none of her PMI clients can transfer over.

“I fear that the HSE won’t step up,” she said. 

I feel that PMI being here and offering this alternative was good. 

"I do not think the HSE will step in and meet these women’s needs.”

She warned that “free birth is going to happen more often I think. That’s what I am hearing.”

The former PMI midwives are in talks with an English insurance broker as a group to try and re-arrange insurance to continue working.

Meanwhile “tens” of affected pregnant women contacted the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services (AIMS) Ireland for advice, according to chairwoman Kyrsia Lynch.

"Women found out about this online on Wednesday, on Instagram and Facebook. It was shocking."

She acknowledged it was a private service, but said: “they did provide a service which the HSE failed to provide” until now.

PMI took on clients in geographic areas where the HSE doesn’t provide a service.

She shares Ms McCann’s concerns around choice.

“You might not be able to get past the first post if something in your medical history falls foul of the HSE’s blanket criteria,” she warned.

She is also aware of women considering free births, saying making that decision under pressure due to lack of options is “ a coerced decision” compared to planning it from the start.

“It’s very different because often those decisions are a lot less informed then,” she said.

The HSE indicated it is aware of talk around free birthing.

“While the HSE is aware that a small number of women choose to give birth without medical assistance, this is not recommended,” a spokesman said.

“Unassisted births carry increased risks and are not covered by State Claims Agency insurance.

“The HSE strongly advises that all births are attended by a trained midwife and/or obstetrician.”