Compare your maternity options
In the UK, you can generally choose to give birth in a labour ward, birth centre or at home. Explore the differences between the options for where to give birth.
| Labour ward | Birth centre | Home birth |
| What is it? |
|---|
| Who will care for me? |
| What pain relief is available? |
| Can I have a water birth? |
| What if I need medical help? |
| How safe is it for babies of healthy, low risk women? |
| What happens after the birth? |
 Labour ward |  Birth centre |  Home birth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is it? | In the maternity unit of a hospital, with medical facilities and doctors on hand if you need them. | A more homely environment led by midwives, where the focus is on birth without medical intervention. | Two midwives come to your home to support you during labour and as you give birth. |
| Who will care for me? | You’ll be looked after by midwives, and doctors will be there if you need them. | Midwives will care for you | Midwives will care for you |
| What pain relief is available? |
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|
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| Can I have a water birth? | Birth pools might be available - search for your unit to find out | Birth pools are usually available – look up a unit to see how many it has | You can hire or buy a birth pool to use |
| What if I need medical help? | Doctors and neonatal specialists are available, and you can have a caesarean if you need one. | From a freestanding birth centre you’ll be taken to hospital in an ambulance. If you're in an alongside birth centre, you'll be moved within the hospital. | You'll be taken to hospital in an ambulance and your midwife will come with you. |
| How safe is it for babies of healthy, low risk women? | As safe as planning birth in a birth centre | As safe as planning birth in a labour ward | As safe as planning birth in a labour ward or a birth centre for those who have given birth before. For first-time mums, there’s a small increase in risk to the baby. |
| What happens after the birth? | You'll be discharged within a few hours after a straightforward birth. If you or your baby need more care, you'll both be moved to the hospital's postnatal ward. | You'll be discharged within a few hours after a straightforward birth. If you or your baby need hospital care, you'll both be taken to a postnatal ward. | Your midwives will stay with you for a couple of hours after a straightforward birth. If you or your baby need hospital care, you'll both be taken to a postnatal ward. |
| Find out more about having a baby in a labour ward | Find out more about having a baby in a birth centre. | Find out more about having a home birth |