It is NOT illegal to birth alone in the UK. In fact a woman is legally protected in the UK to be able to birth wherever she wants. In the oath our midwives take on graduation they accept that if they are called to a birth they must go and in fact a few years back there was a ruckus over that because a woman who'd arranged a homebirth went into labour. She had been told at the 11th hour (38+5wks) there "might not" be staff to have her homebirth, but called the hospital in labour and asked for someone to attend. The midwife she spoke to had done much of her antenatal care, and was about to finish for the night. The hospital said "tell her no, she has to come in", the woman refused to go in, the midwife finished work and went straight to the woman and delivered her baby. The midwife was then fired for delivering the baby without "permission" from the hospital, though she would have been breaking her oath had she not attended. It was all a big mess, i think she left the NHS and works privately now.

In some states in america is illegal to HAVE a midwife, you must have an Ob and be in hospital. Madness!

Bx