Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing free hypnobirthing classes to pregnant women.

The majority of trusts already offer free antenatal education services. A National Health Service online tool is available for women and families to find a class local to them. These classes include support for pregnant women to make a birth plan, considering the different arrangements for labour and birth, and the choices available to them.

The Department is working with NHS England on how to improve the quality of these classes, and to ensure that mothers receive information about their choices so they feel empowered throughout their pregnancy journey, and into motherhood.

Pregnant women can discuss additional hypnobirthing courses with their midwife if this is something they wish to explore.