Biography: After studying arts and travelling for many years, Elen Capucine Robert decided to become a midwife while she was working as a masseuse in a health centre in France. She now is studying midwifery in Brussels, Belgium, and will graduate in June 2016.
Abstract: Despite having a similar population (64 millions) and a common history, France and the United Kingdom (U.K) have a radically different way to treat the choice that is offered to women in the matter of birthplaces. While in France the experimentation of alongside midwifery units is just about to start and being able to give birth at home is a challenge, the politics in U.K are set since a couple of decades to encourage alternative places of birth. As it appears, availability and organisation of women care regarding the birthplace choice seemed to have followed a parallel path in both countries until a certain degree and time in history. It seems to be that legislation is the main reason to the divergences we can observe as well as many cultural aspects that are having a great influence in the birthplace choice in both countries.
