<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Health practitioners are calling for a nationwide ban preventing doulas from providing clinical care after "several recent tragedies linked to freebirth", including the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/stacey-warnecke-food-influencer-dies-from-extremely-rare-complication-during-childbirth/76f69720-f27e-4600-8dd0-1943756d2776" rel="" target="_blank" title="death of a Melbourne influencer"><span>death of a Melbourne influencer</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Australian College of Midwives released a joint statement today calling for Health Minister Mark Butler to work with the states and territories to crack down on freebirths.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Freebirths are births without a registered healthcare professional - such as an obstetrician, gynaecologist, doctor, or midwife - present and are typically done at home.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/new-york-mayoral-race-zohran-mamdani-andrew-cuomo-curtis-sliwa-campaign/b65c9613-fca0-4fee-8dc6-be4586745329"><strong><span>This mayoral race has captured the attention of millions worldwide</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Individuals sometimes opt to have a doula present for physical and emotional support.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The peak medical bodies want all states and territories to adopt South Australian law, which expressly restricts anyone who is not a registered midwife or medical practitioner from providing clinical care to a person during the stages of labour, childbirth and placenta removal.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under this model, doulas who breach the rules would face up to $30,0000 in fines or be jailed for up to 12 months for undertaking care by managing any of those stages. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/call-to-end-freebirths-nationwide-stacey-hatfield/9664164d-b1f7-4987-acb7-142b3e4bebca" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian College of Midwives warned that birthing without a registered health practitioner could lead to preventable deaths, which is "distressing" for professionals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every woman has the legal and ethical right to make informed decisions about their labour and birth care, however birthing without a regulated health practitioner, such as a midwife or doctor, can lead to preventable death," a spokesperson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every death is a tragedy, and it is distressing for all health professionals to bear witness to this."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists President Dr Nisha Khot said while an individual's choice is important, it must "operate within frameworks that ensure safety, quality and accountability".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/home-insurance-premiums-increasing-weather-events-exclusive-poll/707e8305-f612-4b23-8ca2-0aaae4275307"><strong><span>Three in four Aussies share the same fear - and it could cost them hundreds</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The medical bodies believe harmonising national legislation will boost the safety and confidence in births.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australian influencer and doula Emily Lal, known online as "The Authentic Birthkeeper", was recently banned from promoting her views and providing advice after breaching the health code of conduct.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victoria's Health Complaints Commissioner Bernice Redley alleged Lal "facilitated and/or participated in home births which may put both mothers and babies at risk".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I want to remind all Victorians that anyone providing health services must do so safely, ethically and within the limits of their training and qualifications," she said late last month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lal's social media profiles were later taken down. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The investigation into her began on October 8, over a week after Melbourne influencer Stacey Hatfield suffered a postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to a healthy baby boy, Axel, at home.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She was rushed to hospital, but died. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/liberal-party-support-slumps-to-40-year-low-in-news-poll/678399f6-e08c-47a5-8477-e1b488963383"><strong><span>Voters deserting Liberals as support for One Nation surges</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It was her life's biggest dream to be a mum. She did it. On her terms, exactly the way she always dreamed of doing it," her husband Nathan Warnecke said in a social media post.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hatfield, known online as Natural Spoonfuls, gained thousands of followers by promoting a toxin-free lifestyle and natural recipes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>The Herald Sun</span></em><span> has reported Lal was the doula for Hatfield during her freebirth.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><strong><span>Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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