Midwife faces charges

An Otago midwife faces allegations she tried to arrange for a patient's unborn child to be adopted by members of the midwife's family.

The Midwifery Council's professional conduct committee is sitting in Alexandra to hear the case.

The midwife, whose name is temporarily suppressed, is accused of failing to act in the best interests of her teenage client between November 2006 and January 2007, the Press reported.

Among the charges the committee will consider is whether the midwife initiated, promoted and managed a private adoption with family members as the prospective adoptive parents.