Dr Brett Says: It is outrageous that some women wanting to birth at home will now be forced to 'go it alone' rather than have the support of a trusted, learned midwife. These mums are making informed decisions about their health and the health of their babies but are being overruled by blokes that think they know better than mother nature.

 From Manly Daily

LEGISLATION requiring midwives to collaborate with doctors, who would have the final say on whether a homebirth could go ahead, has passed through the Senate.

Seaforth mum-of-two Christine Wrightson, who gave birth to her second daughter at home with a midwife, said it was ``a sad day for women's rights in this country''. The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law was passed by the Federal Government on Tuesday after it was put before a Senate committee for consideration.

Ms Wrightson spearheaded the ``My Body, My Baby, My Right to Decide'' rally at Surry Hills last month and was a vocal opponent to the legislation.

It will restrict independent midwives from being in charge of a homebirth and at-risk women from giving birth outside of hospital if their last baby was born too big, they had a caesarean birth or were above a certain age.

The law was strongly supported by Andrew Pesce, president of the Australian Medical Association, who said it would ensure stricter safety standards.