Publicly-funded home births in the ACT appear a step closer as work on an insurance scheme moves forward.
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ACT Chief Nurse Veronica Croome said there had been a lot of progress looking at making such a service available.
"We acknowledge publicly-funded home births are something women in the ACT would like to see," she said.
"We've undertaken to do some work in preparation for the (Health) Minister (Simon Corbell) to be able to make a decision whether funded home births go ahead."
ACT Health and the Publicly Funded Birth at Home ACT action group met this week to discuss developments.
The action group of women and health professionals, formed to lobby the ACT government, has been driving the issue.
Until now, publicly-funded home births in the ACT had been hindered by the "unaffordable" cost of insurance. It was previously estimated the government would need to put aside $10 million a year in case of an adverse home birth event.
Sally Ferguson, from The Publicly Funded Birth at Home ACT group and an assistant professor in midwifery at the University of Canberra, said "the tricky insurance issue looks like it has been sorted".
"It's wonderful in that it means that women hopefully will have another choice in 2015," she said.
"It's not set in cement yet but it excites the action group that it looks like it's moving forward."
Ms Croome said issues around insurance were in the process of being resolved.
"We've had some very positive talks with ACTIA (the ACT Insurance Authority)," she said.
"ACTIA are very willing to work with us to bring this matter to a resolution.
"In the past what's prohibited progress is what was I think a reasonable amount of increase to insurance premiums."
The ACT and Queensland are the only places where publicly-funded home births are not offered.
Ms Ferguson said offering a publicly funded home birth service was about improving choice and options for mothers.
"It's the safest way for well women to have their babies because it increases their chance of having a straightforward birth and decreases their chance of having a caesarean section," she said.
"Tertiary maternity services are really busy so getting well women out of them is a good idea. It's great for the women, it's great for the maternity service and it's great for midwifery.
Ms Ferguson said it was not advisable for women with complicated pregnancies to give birth at home.
Ms Croome said "They (the working group) will be doing a whole lot of work that ensures if we do get the go-ahead that it's incredibly safe."
