No home births for island dwellers

Women on the Wadden Sea island of Terschelling have been told they can no longer give birth at home, because they live too far from a hospital if something goes wrong.


Women must have their babies on the mainland in order to meet health ministry rules that state no birth can take place more than 45 minutes from a hospital.
The island does not have a hospital and the boat or helicopter trip to the nearest one takes longer than the ministry wants.
The move is part of efforts to reduce the high baby death rate in the Netherlands.

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