Why Faith Matters in Maternity Care
- Hannah Ketcher
- Apr 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 24
You deserve to be fully yourself in birth—including your faith.
When we talk about personalised maternity care, we often focus on birth plans, pain relief, and feeding choices.
But true personalised care goes deeper than that. It’s about who you are. Your values. Your beliefs. Your faith.
For many women, faith isn’t separate from birth—it’s central to it. And yet, it’s one of the most overlooked aspects of maternity care.
The moment that stayed with me
During my time working in the NHS, I witnessed deeply compassionate care. But I also saw moments where something important was missed.
One of these was when a woman in labour cried out “Oh God, help me.”
The midwife responded: “God can’t help you here.”
That woman wasn’t a Christian, and she brushed it off.
But I didn’t. Because what if she had been? What if that wasn’t just instinct—but prayer? In that moment, something sacred could have been dismissed. And that matters.
“Oh God, help me.”
...
“God can’t help you here.”
Birth is physical—but it’s also spiritual
We know from research that birth is not just a physical event. A woman’s emotional and psychological state directly impacts her experience of labour and birth.
Studies show that when women feel safe, respected and emotionally supported, they are more likely to:
Experience lower anxiety
Feel more in control
Report more positive birth experiences
For many women, faith is part of that safety. Ignoring it doesn’t make care neutral—it makes it incomplete.
My Own Birth Plan and the "Disclaimer" I Wish I Didn’t Feel I Had to Write
When I came to write my own birth plans, that moment stayed with me. And if I’m honest—it changed how I showed up.
At the very top of my birth plan, I felt the need to include a kind of disclaimer:
That my husband and I would likely pray during labour
That we might speak in tongues
That worship music would be playing
And underneath that… a quiet need to reassure:
We’re not crazy!
Looking back, that doesn’t sit right with me.
No woman should feel the need to justify who she is in her birth space.
What does the NMC actually say about faith?
There’s often confusion around whether healthcare professionals are allowed to share their faith. But the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is clear:
Midwives must respect people’s beliefs and values
Care must be person-centred
Professionals must not impose their personal beliefs
But importantly:
Having a faith—and being open about it—is not a breach of the Code.
The distinction is simple:
Imposing belief = not appropriate
Supporting someone in theirs = essential care
Faith doesn’t have to be removed from care. It just has to be handled with respect and professionalism.
Why I openly share that I’m a Christian midwife
I don’t share my faith to exclude anyone. I share it so the women who do want that know they are safe with me. So they don’t have to explain:
Why prayer matters
Why worship music will be playing
Why they might call on God in labour
They are already understood.
And for women who don’t share my faith? They will still receive:
Respect
Evidence-based care
Full advocacy
Because this isn’t about agreement. It’s about creating space.
The kind of maternity care I believe in
I believe maternity care should be:
Whole-person focused
Deeply respectful
Emotionally safe
Spiritually safe
Because when a woman feels fully supported—something shifts. She relaxes. She trusts. She opens.
And that changes birth.
Final thoughts
You shouldn’t have to write disclaimers in your birth plan. You shouldn’t have to shrink parts of who you are. And you shouldn’t have to wonder whether your beliefs will be respected.
You deserve to be fully known in your care. And that includes your faith.
References & Further Reading
World Health Organization. (2018). Intrapartum care for a positive childbirth experience
NICE Guidelines. (2025). Intrapartum care for healthy women and babies
Nursing and Midwifery Council. (2023). Freedom of Expression and Fitness to Practice.
Callister, L. & Khalaf, I. (2010). Spirituality in Childbirth
Comments