Lack of regulation for home births in Croatia endangers women’s rights and safety compared to EU nations.
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In Croatia, home births are unregulated despite recommendations from UN bodies and gender equality advocates, contrasting with countries like the Netherlands where they occur for up to a third of births. While home births naturally happen, Croatian midwives are not permitted to practice outside hospitals, leading to situations where women give birth outside healthcare facilities (47 in 2021, 51 in 2023). Advocates argue that home births should be a safe and accessible option for women by educating and enabling midwives to provide care outside maternity wards. The Ministry of Health cites complexity and the need for inter-resource dialogue as reasons for delay, despite previous plans to transfer some tasks to highly educated health workers like midwives. International organizations and Croatian associations stress that regulated home births are available in many EU countries with clear guidelines, emphasizing women’s right to choose their birthing environment and advocating for systemic reform to ensure safety and respect for women’s autonomy.
