A NSW coroner has urged the Federal Government to back down on its refusal to offer professional indemnity insurance to midwives assisting home births.

In a coronial inquest into the death of a baby born at home near Nimbin in July 2007, Byron Bay Coroner Nick Reimer said home birthing is a mother’s “inherent right” and a lack of insurance will drive home births underground.

The inquest was originally intended to place home birthing and attending midwives under the microscope.

Instead, in an unusual move, the findings have been sent to the federal and NSW health ministers, urging them to exercise “great care” in drafting proposed legislation that could make home birthing illegal.

“It seems that it is intended to legislate to make it unlawful for home births to take place attended by midwives unless they are fully covered for professional negligence,” Mr Reimer said.

“It has been forecast that no insurers will be prepared to issue such policies. The practice itself, by this backdoor method, could in itself become unlawful. This could have disastrous ramifications.”