12 Nov 2013

Maori most likely to have natural births - midwives

7:43 pm on 12 November 2013

Maori have the least intervention when giving birth, the Maori midwives' network South Island representative says.

The organisation, Nga Maia, provides kaupapa Maori birthing, pre-natal and ante-natal services to women around the motu.

Birthing interventions range from having a midwife present, to procedures such as inductions, epidurals and caesarians.

Nga Maia Te Waipounamu representative Amber Clarke says the fewer interventions the better, and it's wonderful Maori women often birth without intervention.

She believes the sector should be looking at the reasons behind it and suggests it could be because Maori tend to give birth at a younger age, and have more babies than other populations.

A third of all babies born last year were of Maori ethnicity.