A coroner is investigating the death of Stacey Warnecke, a 30-year-old nutritionist and wellness influencer from Melbourne, who died after choosing a medically unassisted birth, known as a 'freebirth'. Warnecke suffered a massive postpartum haemorrhage at her home on 29 September 2025 and later died in Frankston hospital.
The inquest heard that Warnecke had paid $6,000 to Emily Lal, a 'birthkeeper' with no medical qualifications, to support her pregnancy. Lal's now-removed website stated that outsourcing responsibility for wellbeing to any external authority is dangerous. Lal told the court she attended births as a 'supportive friend' and it was not her role to assess blood loss.
Warnecke was found on the floor by paramedics with a large clot nearby. An ambulance was only called after Warnecke gave Lal permission, around half an hour after the bleed began. Expert witnesses said Warnecke was likely bleeding internally, and symptoms of postpartum haemorrhage are not always visible.
The inquest is considering why women choose freebirths over obstetric care. Evidence from the 2024 NSW birth trauma inquiry revealed many women felt dehumanised in hospital and experienced what they described as violence. Warnecke had a 'deep fear' of medical interventions, the court heard. Nearly half of all births in Victorian hospitals result in caesarean sections, partly due to women choosing them and later maternal age.
Midwife Dr Catherine Adams told the coroner that substandard hospital practice contributes to adverse outcomes, but added that it is naive to think all clinicians practice to the highest standard. The number of women choosing freebirth is hard to estimate, as successful cases may not come to medical attention.
