The RCOG

The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) recently published a policy document advocating a major reorganisation of obstetric and gynaecological services.

For pregnancy and childbirth, the recommendations mark a major shift from the previous policy of promoting hospital as the safest place for birth. In contrast, the new policy suggests that maternity services need to be “driven back into the community” with more “midwifery-led” supervision of labour and birth, and fewer births in obstetric units.

For normally healthy women, this means that pregnancy and childbirth can be part of family life.