ABSTRACT
Birth takes place in many settings including home, birthing units or obstetric hospitals. The place of birth can have significant consequences in terms of costs related to all aspects of sustainability: economic, environmental and social. In this chapter Sally Tracy puts forward the argument that policy makers and managers in maternity services focus primarily on economics. This determines the decisions about ‘value’ and who should receive the benefit of maternity service resources. Before the economic worth of anything can be established however, it is imperative to ascertain from whose perspective the cost will be calculated. A caring society protects and enhances human life and dignity. Evidence indicates that a low tech and holistic approach has better outcomes in terms of all sustainability measures, perinatal and maternal outcomes, empowerment for women and families and fulfilment for midwives.
