THREE years after the tragic death of a young woman following her giving birth at home, women in Limerick still have no access to home birth supports with the service still suspended.
Laura Liston died after a scheduled birth at her home in Dunnaman, Croom, on June 5 2022. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy, her first child, but subsequently died as a result of complications.
Now, a spokesperson confirmed to the Limerick Post that the temporary suspension of the HSE’s home birth service across Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary, which came into effect immediately after the tragedy in 2022, is still in place.
The suspension was imposed “pending an external review following a recent maternal death” and is still in place “pending the full implementation of recommendations arising from the external review,” the spokesman said, which would involve national policies, resourcing, recruitment, education, and training.
And expectant mothers are not happy that there has been no progress in lifting the home birth ban three years later. Sources have confirmed that women who want the option are voting with their feet.
In some cases, women have gone as afar as registering in other counties in order to be able to give birth at home.
“We are committed to reinstating the service as soon as possible while ensuring all necessary measures are in place to provide the highest standard of care for both mothers and infants. While at present we do not have a confirmed timeline for when home birth services will resume, we are actively working towards this goal,” the spokesperson said.
“We acknowledge that the review process has taken time and we understand the frustration this has caused. This is due to the need for a comprehensive approach that aligns with national policies and best practices, as well as ensuring that appropriate resources, staffing, and training are in place.
“The safety and wellbeing of mothers and infants remain our top priority and we are taking the necessary steps to establish a robust and sustainable service that meets the highest standards of care.”
The HSE says that ensuring there are experienced midwives available to support home birth services “is a fundamental part of the review and reinstatement process”.
“As part of our commitment to safe maternity care, we continue to engage with staff regarding training and workforce planning to ensure that, when the service resumes, there will be adequate resources to support it effectively.”
The health service added that “workforce development remains a priority, and we are working in collaboration with national and regional partners to address recruitment and retention challenges in the midwifery profession”.
“HSE Mid West and University Maternity Hospital Limerick remains dedicated to providing safe, high-quality maternity care. We understand that this is an important issue for many expectant mothers and families and we appreciate their patience as we work towards a safe and sustainable resolution.”
