Objective: to describe and compare women's choices and experiences of maternity care before and after
the opening of the Barkantine Birth Centre, a new freestanding midwifery unit in an inner city Measurements and findings: women who satisfied the criteria for birth centre care and who booked
antenatally for care at the birth centre were significantly more likely to rate their care as good or very
good overall than corresponding women who also satisfied these criteria but booked initially at the
hospital. Women who started labour care in spontaneous labour at the birth centre were significantly
more likely to be cared for by a midwife they had already met, have one to one care in labour and have
the same midwife with them throughout their labour. They were also significantly more likely to report
that the staff were kind and understanding, that they were treated with respect and dignity and that
their privacy was respected.