A survey of women in Australia who choose the care of unregulated birthworkers for a birth at home.

Background: Anecdotally, the number of Australian women who choose unregulated birthworkers to support a homebirth without a registered midwife present is increasing.

Aim: To explore the experiences and reasons why some women choose unregulated birthworkers for a homebirth, and examine what they might do if changes in legislation removed this choice.

Methods: A survey was distributed via social media networks and data were analysed using descriptive statistics.

Why do women choose an unregulated birth worker to birth at home in Australia: a qualitative study.

Background: In Australia the choice to birth at home is not well supported and only 0.4% of women give birth at home with a registered midwife. Recent changes to regulatory requirements for midwives have become more restrictive and there is no insurance product that covers private midwives for intrapartum care at home.