“Welcome to the Free Birth Society – where women think for themselves and children are born free.”

The opening line of the Free Birth Society (FBS) website talks about celebrating instinct, power and sovereignty of women, and of “returning” birth to women and family. So far, so inspiring?

Not so much. A series of devastating articles and podcasts have focused on the FBS (US-based but with a global reach), uncovering tragic stories of maternal and neonatal death and injury, some of which could have been prevented with medical intervention and monitoring.

In the UK mothers are free to give birth wherever they wish – in hospital or at home, with or without midwifery support. A key element is being supported with proper advice to help mothers make informed decisions at what can be a lonely, scary time.

Medical clinicians have a legal duty to counsel expectant mothers about the relevant risks and benefits of each option, taking into account particular medical needs and the mother’s wishes – to help mothers make informed choices about what happens to their bodies.

There has been some controversy in England as FBS has been signposted in NHS literature, as a source of information for women seeking to give birth at home without medical support, known as ‘freebirthing’.

The Guardian has uncovered stories of mothers who have had past traumatic birth experiences, disillusioned with hospital obstetric care, choosing to freebirth at home, encouraged and supported by FBS. Due to previous birth injuries or pre-existing conditions, these mothers are at higher risk of sustaining more serious injuries, or even dying, in subsequent labours.

FBS is tapping into deeply-held insecurities of women at their most vulnerable, and has been found to dispense dangerous misinformation and discourage women from seeking medical intervention for themselves and their newborn babies.

At Balfour+Manson, we deal with many claims against the NHS, relating to injuries suffered by mothers and babies during pregnancy and labour. The NHS will usually accept legal responsibility for the actions of its employees – midwives, obstetricians, gynaecologists or neonatologists. Individual clinicians will also have professional indemnity cover. This means damages for injuries can be claimed against an insurance policy. In addition, medical clinicians are regulated by professional bodies, which ensure training and knowledge standards and have the power to prevent their members from practising if they are not currently safe to do so.

The FBS is not subject to such scrutiny. Its members and leaders are not medically qualified. In the UK, there are limitations on who can call themselves a midwife, and it is an offence to claim to be or act as one if not appropriately qualified.

To join the FBS panel of ‘wise women’ takes minutes. It is mandatory to include a link to your social media when applying, and you must sign a disclaimer absolving the company behind FBS from liability for your actions. You sign to agree you will not give medical advice, but you can apply to advertise midwifery services to members.

We all have bodily autonomy, and are free to do with our bodies what we wish. When a woman is pregnant, that right to make decisions extends to the baby she is carrying until the moment it is born. It is essential, however, that we make crucial and life-changing decisions armed with all of the information we need to make an informed decision. We need to think about who is advising us, what are their credentials and motivations, who scrutinises their actions? Who can help if something goes wrong? Only when we are armed with all that information can we properly decide.

The above article appeared in The Scotsman on Monday 22nd December.