I thought that readers might be interested in this story from The Independant: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2326232.ece "Record numbers of women are being harmed or dying as a direct result of childbirth in what doctors are labelling a "crisis" in maternity care. There has been a rise of 21 per cent in deaths of pregnant women in the care of NHS maternity services. Deaths over the past three years now total 391, up one fifth on the comparable period, and 17,000 women have suffered physical harm while on labour wards." And if you want something really sobering to read here's a link to the Healthcare commission's report into 10 maternal deaths at Northwick Park hospital: http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/_db/_documents/Northwick_tagged.pdf What I will say from personal experence is that every person's labour is different - I know two mothers who gave birth in the car, and several whose husbands delivered the baby at home. Someone else I know was checked by a midwife at home (she was booked for a home birth) shortly before delivering the baby once the midwife had left 'it'll be ages...' - she then had to wait a while for the midwife to come back and cut the cord etc etc. The impression from Tom's posts is that every labour follows a set pattern and takes ages - this isn't necessarily true. My first baby was an undiagnosed breach and he was delivered by emergency section shortly after I arrived at hospita as I had completed the first stage of labour without realising it; my second child was born 3 hours after I arrived at hospital. The registrar wrote in my notes that I wasn't in labour as I could hold a conversation! My waters broke a few minutes before the baby was born. There's a very lively debate going on on Dr Crippen's blog regarding home births and independent midwives, which Dr Crippin is opposed to as he feels that they are unsafe: http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/ (scroll down to 'More from the Madwives'). An official 'Maternataxi' service would never be implemented because of the cost implcations - also how would the poor taxi driver cope if a woman delivered in his vehicle and what would be the legal implications should something go wrong? - ie cord prolaspe, abruption etc