Homebirth and independent midwifery.

Why do women choose to give birth at home, and midwives to work independently, in a culture that does little to support this option? This article looks at the reasons childbearing women and midwives make these choices and the barriers to achieving them. The safety of the homebirth option is supported in reference to analysis of mortality and morbidity. Homebirth practices and level of success are compared in Australia and New Zealand (NZ), in particular, and The Netherlands, England and America. The success of popularity of homebirths is analysed in terms of socio-economic status. The current situation and challenges of independent midwifery in Darwin are described.