PREGNANT mothers will still be able to have their babies in Trowbridge after Wiltshire Primary care Trust (PCT) approved a plan to maintain a birthing unit in the town.

The maternity unit in Trowbridge Hospital is due to close at the end of the year and expectant mothers were being advised to use the maternity unit at Chippenham Hospital or take advantage of home support services.

Many local people were unhappy about the decision and their lobbying led to Wiltshire County Council's health overview and scrutiny committee asking the PCT to conduct a review of birthing options in the area.

The review was led by Maggie Rae, joint director of public health at the PCT and Alison Knowles, director of corporate affairs and communications.

The results of that review were announced at a PCT board meeting on Tuesday.

The good news for mothers who want to give birth locally is that a birthing room is to initially be made available at Trowbridge Hospital.

It will not match the level of services currently available in the hospital but will be staffed by midwives.

At the meeting board members announced that once Trowbridge Hospital is closed, to make way for the planned new Primary Care Centre on the cricket pitch next door, a birthing room would be included there, so the service to mothers is continued.

Board members said a review of the birthing room at Trowbridge Hospital would take place after 12 months of operation.

They said this could lead to additional birthing rooms being created in other Primary Care Centres across the county but this is not guaranteed.

In the report Alison Knowles said: "The birthing centre's function is aimed at low risk deliveries, where the choice is for a non-hospital environment and the woman goes home as soon as is appropriate - on average after six hours.

"Birthing centres are designed to enable the midwives to open the facility and use it when it is required for a birth. At other times it would be closed. This makes it a very cost effective option and would be welcomed by midwives."