40% of women not aware of right to choose where to give birth
The research, which surveyed over 1,000 women who had given birth in England in the last three years, found that 40% either weren’t aware or didn’t feel they had a choice about their birth hospital.
Of those who choose their hospital 53% stated this was a ‘very important’ decision, however 57% spent less than an hour choosing theirs, suggesting a lack of awareness about the amount of information that is available to help make an informed choice.
The CQC is encouraging all expectant parents to understand their right to choose where to give birth and to use CQC inspection reports in order to help make an informed, considered decision.
Heidi Smoult, Deputy Chief Inspector at the Care Quality Commission, explains: “Pregnancy is a very exciting time but it can also be daunting and many women can feel at their most vulnerable. Women have the option to have a hospital, birthing centre or home birth. It’s vital that all women know they have a choice over where they give birth. It’s a big decision and while advice from family and friends can be useful, it’s important that expectant parents know there’s free independent information available to help them. Our inspection reports provide detailed scrutiny of all aspects of maternity care - we urge all prospective parents to do their research to help ensure they have the best possible birth experience.”
For more information check out the CQC's Your Birth Plan campaign
