CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Devizes Maternity Unit from closure are urging pregnant women from outside Devizes to use it.

More than 2,000 leaflets have been produced promoting the midwife-led unit.

Devizes, along with Malmesbury Maternity Unit, is under threat of closure because the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust say it is under-occupied and is costly to run.

A decision on maternity units will be made by the trust in December.

The leaflets explain how Devizes Maternity Unit operates and what facilities it has, including a birthing pool.

They have been funded by a local company, which wishes to remain anonymous.

DASH2, Devizes Action to Save Our Hospital, is supporting the leaflet campaign and supporters of the maternity unit have delivered more than 1,000 of the leaflets to GP surgeries and pharmacies in Marlborough, Ramsbury, Pewsey, Upavon, Netheravon, Swindon, Westbury and other places.

Polly Cartmill who lives in Hungerford gave birth to both her children at Devizes Maternity Unit.

Miss Cartmill, 37, heard about the unit through a friend who lives in Ramsbury.

Miss Cartmill would normally have gone to Swindon to give birth. She argues that mothers should be given the choice of using smaller midwife-led units, like Devizes.

She said: "My friend recommended Devizes. I went and had a look around and liked the fact it had the personal touch. The midwives are very friendly and it also has a birthing pool."

Miss Cartmill and her partner, David Mayer's first child, Tess, was born at Devizes nearly two years ago. Miss Cartmill had her ante natal and post natal care at Devizes.

Their second child, Beth, was born four weeks ago at Devizes and mother and baby stayed in for two days after the birth.

Miss Cartmill, a teacher at Ramsbury Primary School, said: "Both births were a fantastic experience. I found breastfeeding difficult with both babies and the midwives helped me so much to breastfeed.

"Midwives at bigger hospitals are so busy that you feel encouraged to leave soon after giving birth. At Devizes you can stay until you are ready to go home."

The drive to Devizes for Miss Cartmill took 40 minutes.

She said: "There was no problem about going to Devizes.

"I tell everyone who is pregnant about it and encourage them to go there.

"I think it is outrageous that it could be closed. It provides such a high level of care."

Paula Winchcombe, Devizes mayor and chairman of DASH2, had ante natal care at Devizes during her pregnancies.

Her three children were born at the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

She said Devizes Maternity Unit is invaluable and health bosses should not concentrate just on the number of births at the unit as it also provides ante natal and post natal care for women who do not give birth there.

Mrs Winchcombe said: "I had all my ante natal care at Devizes and the care I received was first class.

"It should continue to provide care to women in the area who do not need to go to Swindon or Bath."

Sally Watson, of Eastcott, near Devizes, is also backing the leaflet campaign.

Mrs Watson gave birth to her third child, Billie, on July 27 at Devizes Maternity Unit.

She experienced a quick labour as was the case with her second child, Zoe, who was also born at Devizes.

She believes that for women who, like her, have quick labours, travelling further to a maternity unit could be dangerous as births could take place in cars on the way to hospital.