The South East Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service expects the first births through the program soon.

The program is open to women accepted into the health service's Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) program whose deliveries are considered to be low-risk.

Southern Hospital Network co-director for the women's and babies' stream, Deborah Cameron, said some mothers felt the home birth option was calmer, more convenient and more comfortable.

The program would tend to "err on the side of caution" and only women living within 30 minutes of a hospital could participate, Ms Cameron said.

"Should a mother experience complexities in their pregnancy, they will be referred to other hospital-based delivery options," she said.

The service would be rolled out to include Shoalhaven Hospital at a later date.

Ms Cameron said the program had been operating out of St George Hospital for three years, but of the thousands who gave birth in the area just 50 had chosen home births.

The health service was unaware how many in the Illawarra would use the service.

Ms Cameron said independent midwives already offered a home birth service, but issues surrounding indemnity insurance for them had seen numbers decline.

"The new program will hopefully allow women to avoid free birth situations, (births) with no clinical support," she said.

The MGP yesterday celebrated five years of providing care at the new Midwifery and Family Health Centre at Shellharbour Hospital.

Kate Tallon, who is 23 weeks pregnant, said she was aware some expecting mums would prefer the home birth option, but it wasn't something she would consider.

"I'm not brave enough," she laughed.

The centre and home birth program controversially replaced Shellharbour's post-natal inpatient beds late last year.