How the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world

The Free Birth Society (FBS) is a multimillion-dollar business that promotes an extreme version of free birth, meaning women giving birth without medical assistance. Subscribe to The Guardian on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The Guardian can now reveal that the organisation has been linked to dozens of cases of maternal harm and baby deaths around the world. After a year-long investigation, Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne explain why some women they interviewed found FBS’s views so appealing, and why medical professionals say their claims about birth are dangerous The Birth Keepers: I choose this – episode one ► https://www.theguardian.com/technology/audio/2025/dec/10/the-birth-keepers-i-choose-this-episode-one The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► https://www.support.theguardian.com Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► http://theguardian.com/first-edition Website ► https://www.theguardian.com Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/theguardian Bluesky ► https://bsky.app/profile/theguardian.com Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/guardian The Guardian on YouTube: Guardian News ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiannews Guardian Australia ► https://www.youtube.com/@GuardianAustralia Guardian Football ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardianfootball Football Weekly ► https://www.youtube.com/@footballweeklypodcast Guardian Sport ► https://www.youtube.com/@guardiansport It's Complicated ► https://www.youtube.com/@itscomplicated Guardian Live ► https://www.youtube.com/@GuardianLive #freebirthsociety #fbs #freebirth #wildbirth #thebirthkeepers #childbirth #maternity #children