ABSTRACT
The women's movement gathered strength, offering evidence to support the view that normal childbirth was the business of women and midwives, and the Where to Be Born debate began in earnest. Thus, the focus of maternity care is unnecessarily skewed towards perceived safety through obstetric-led, regionalised hospital birth, when evidence has clearly indicated that home birth is not only safe and fulfilling for women and their families who choose to deliver at home but also considerably cheaper for the NHS. The critical issue of women's choice of place of birth, including home birth, must be properly addressed, including an understanding of the importance of local control of healthcare and budgets. When the 1970 Peel Report, which recommended 100% hospital birth, was implemented, many women who wanted to give birth at home voted with their feet by refusing to book for any care.
