The group, Parents for Choice in Birthing, is threatening to take legal action against the Western Health Board over the legality of its decision to suspend the homebirth scheme at University College Hospital Galway.
The group, who held a protest outside the health board's headquarters at Merlin Park, in Galway, yesterday, called on all members of the board to reconsider their decision to end the scheme now that they have been better informed about the project and its importance.
A spokesperson for the group said all members of the board's acute services sub-committee had now received information about the importance of the scheme, its cost effectiveness and its significance in relation to fulfilling the national policy on birthing. The group say it is now up to board members to admit they have made a mistake and reverse their decision.
They are calling on the board to carry out an independent evaluation similar to the scheme at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin.
The spokesperson said: "The WHB are making a big mistake if they think that Parents for Choice in Birthing are going away.
"We are now taking legal advice on the legalities of the suspension and we are prepared to do whatever it takes in order to ensure the scheme is fully reinstated."
Ms Anne Irwin, of Patients for Choice, said they had tried to negotiate with the health board but it had refused to budge. They were seeking advice and she felt that legal proceedings would not be far away as the 1970 Health Act guaranteed national services for women who opted for home births.
The youngest member of yesterday's protest was three days old Oscar who was born to Galway couple Ms Helen Farrissey and Mr Charlie Brehony at their home - one of the last babies to be born under the scheme.
The couple joined the protest because they believe every woman should have the choice of giving birth at home.
