The NHS has been directing pregnant women to a website that connected them to the Free Birth Society, an organisation that has been linked to baby deaths around the world after promoting labour without medical support.
A number of NHS trusts are directing women who are contemplating a “free birth” to a charity website that until Monday referred to FBS podcasts as a source of “empowering stories” that can help British women “preparing for their own birth”.
It contained a link to the FBS podcast, which medical experts warn is being used to radicalise women with misinformation.
FBS advocates an extreme version of free birth, otherwise known as unassisted birth. It advises mothers not to use doctors or midwives and suggests they avoid pregnancy scans.
The multimillion-dollar business, run by former doulas Emilee Saldaya and Yolande Norris Clark, has a successful podcast, Instagram following, festival and online schools for birth attendants.
View image in fullscreen Screengrab from the FBS website promoting its services. Photograph: Free Birth Society website
The prevalence of freebirthing is low in the UK, but is belie
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