A protest against a recommendation to limit home births to people living within 30 minutes of a maternity unit is underway outside Cork University Hospital
The group say the practise is long established as a safe and important choice for families and are calling for the withdraw of the recommendation with immediate effect.
In a statement to RedFM News, the HSE says The National Women and Infants Health Programme recommended that women accessing the service would live 30 minutes or less "blue light distance" for their nearest maternity service to ensure the best possible chance of getting to the unit to ensure the best outcome for mother and baby.
Kara Spratt is the organiser of today's protest and gave birth to four of her five children at home.
Kara told RedFM News why protesters want to see home births continue for those outside 30 minute zones:
They've been doing it for more than 30 years here in Cork. The statistics as I said earlier are exemplary and midwives absoloutely support choice for birthing families. They have seen for themselves that there is a demand there. There's a there's a huge interest, in fact interest there, especially after Covid, when many families experienced the very trying and Covid restrictions and they sought alternative care."
