Midwife: Amendments Aim to End Home Birth Availability in Latvia

Midwife Agnese Dejus has criticized the amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers regulations on the provision of obstetric care, drafted by the Ministry of Health. In her view, the changes are intended to restrict planned out-of-hospital births so severely that the service would become practically inaccessible.

The amendments stipulate that out-of-hospital births can only be planned for low-risk mothers with a body mass index below 30, a single fetus in a cephalic presentation, and no pregnancy complications. The birth must occur between 37+0 and 40+6 weeks of gestation. Additionally, a consultation at a hospital is required between 35 and 37 weeks to obtain permission for a home birth.

Dejus argues that these restrictions lack scientific justification. She emphasizes that there is no data showing that planned out-of-hospital births carry higher risks for maternal or neonatal health compared to hospital births. She also criticizes the requirement for five years of hospital experience, noting that other countries, such as the Netherlands, England, and New Zealand, do not have such requirements.

In Dejus's opinion, the amendments could lead to an increase in unattended births without medical assistance, which would be even riskier. She calls on the Ministry to reconsider the proposals and ensure families can choose safe home births without “absurd restrictions.”

The Ministry of Health explains that the project aims to achieve the best possible pregnancy outcomes for mother and child. The public consultation runs until June 25.