A "small" number of women who were ineligible for Queensland's first publicly funded homebirth program decided to freebirth, a leaked report into the first year of the program has revealed.
The report, obtained by the ABC, has recommended doctors and midwives work with women who are "risked out of the program" to develop an individual plan to reduce the dangers of freebirthing.
A freebirth is when a woman decides to give birth without assistance from a registered health professional.
The practice is facing growing scrutiny after publicity surrounding deaths of mothers and babies.
'Sovereign birthkeepers' putting lives at risk They check the baby's position and listen to the heartbeat, but they aren't qualified midwives. Parents say a "dangerous" new breed of birth worker has emerged to fill the gap for women wanting to birth outside hospital.
Peak medical and midwifery groups have called for health ministers across the country to pass laws so that only registered midwives and doctors can manage labour and childbirth, following the deaths.
The 12-month evaluation report of a publicly funded homebirth program run on the Sun
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