In 1990, two lay midwives were charged with criminal negligence in the death of a second twin whose birth they were attending. Soon after, the charges were dropped and an inquest was called to look into the baby's cause of death. Hospital staff and the midwives disagree as to where the death actually occurred - at home or at the hospital.
Birth is a very personal and private experience. The inquest has forced many women out into the political arena. In Labours of Love, mothers who have chosen homebirth, nurses and lay midwives discuss birth, midwifery, the controversy surrounding these issues, and women's freedom of choice.