Barnstaple maternity unit suspended — women face two-hour drive to give birth

Maternity services at Barnstaple hospital in Devon have been suspended, leaving pregnant women facing a two-hour drive to the nearest unit in Exeter. Expectant mother Harriet Knight warned that her family history of labours lasting under two hours makes a roadside birth a real risk. Local women also report feeling pressured towards caesarean sections or having to pay for accommodation in Exeter near their due date.

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