The NHS has been directing pregnant women to a website that connected them to the Free Birth Society (FBS), an organisation linked to baby deaths worldwide after promoting labour without medical support. Several NHS trusts directed women considering free birth to a charity website that, until Monday, referred to FBS podcasts as a source of “empowering stories” for British women “preparing for their own birth”.
The FBS advocates an extreme version of free birth, advising mothers not to use doctors or midwives and to avoid pregnancy scans. Medical experts warn the organisation radicalises women with misinformation. The multimillion-dollar business, run by former doulas Emilee Saldaya and Yolande Norris Clark, has a successful podcast, Instagram following, festival and online schools for birth attendants.
An investigation by the Guardian identified 48 cases of late-term stillbirths, neonatal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked to FBS. In 18 cases, FBS played a significant role in decision-making, leading to potentially avoidable tragedies. The Guardian revealed that the NHS had been directing women towards FBS content recommended by the Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services (Aims), a charity that campaigns on UK maternity care.
Until this summer, an NHS web page entitled “Where to give birth: the options” directed women to an Aims factsheet that recommended the FBS podcast. The link was quietly removed in August, but online patient information leaflets from several NHS trusts, including Cambridge, Gloucestershire hospitals and East and North Hertfordshire, continued to direct women to the factsheet. After being contacted by the Guardian, Aims removed the FBS references from its factsheet, stating it was “not aware of the serious concerns”.
An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS does not endorse this society, or its ideology which could harm women.” Kenga Sivarajah, a lead obstetrician at King’s College Hospital, described some FBS information as “dangerous and harmful” and said it was “very shocking” for the NHS to direct people towards it. The prevalence of free birth in the UK is low but believed to be rising, fuelled by distrust of maternity services.
