Authorities are emphasizing the potential risks of ‘freebirths’ and are advocating for government intervention to regulate these practices in order to protect lives.
Pregnancy and childbirth can be anxious and complex for many parents. Fortunately, advancements in healthcare and technology have made these processes more manageable over time.
A nonprofit organization is urging government action to curtail a rising trend that poses potential dangers.
On November 3, The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) issued a blog post urging restrictions on ‘free births’ to avert preventable fatalities.
This appeal follows the death of an Australian influencer who suffered complications during a home birth.
The organization also clarified the distinction between ‘freebirth’ and traditional ‘home births’.
According to RANZCOG: “Freebirth is the intentional practice of giving birth without a registered healthcare professional, such as a midwife or doctor, present. It is different from a homebirth, which is a planned birth at home with a registered healthcare provider. The absence of appropriate clinical support during freebirth has led to preventable harm and loss of life.”
Recently, it was reported that Stacey Warnecke, a nutritionist from Melbourne, passed away following the birth of her child at home. Although her husband has shared some details about her death, he has not explicitly stated that she was involved in the freebirth movement.
In a statement following her death, he expressed: “It’s with heavy heart that I share with you the unexpected passing of my beautiful wife, soul mate and best friend, Stacey Warnecke (Hatfield).”
“Stacey passed on the 29th September 2025 after successfully giving birth to our firstborn son, Axel, at home. Tragically, shortly after, an unforeseen and extremely rare complication arose and she passed after being transferred to hospital.
“Hospital staff were amazing and did the utmost to help, but ultimately nothing could be done despite their best efforts.”
RANZCOG has detailed their requests for legislative action to prevent future freebirth-related deaths.
They are urging ministers to propose and enact laws that ‘expressly restrict labor and birth management (including the three stages of labor, birth of the baby, and the third stage) to appropriately trained, registered practitioners.
The organization also wants to ensure that ‘unlicensed or unregulated persons are prohibited by law from undertaking the management of labor and birth as defined in the legislation.’
Additionally, they are calling on public officials to promote transparency, accountability, and safety in birthing services.