Constitutional Court allows midwives to lead home births

The Czech Constitutional Court has allowed midwives to lead home births in its ruling on Tuesday. However, it also said that from the legal point of view it won’t be regarded as the provision of health care.

Currently, Czech authorities and courts have generally restricted midwives' roles in helping women to give birth and providing postnatal care, with actual deliveries limited to fully equipped medical facilities.

The case was brought by a midwife seeking to expand her legal authority to conduct home births and a woman desiring such services.

Previous court rulings have upheld the restrictions, prompting the midwife to argue that her rights to free enterprise and the right of women to choose their place of birth are being violated.