Mums-to-be are being asked if they would give birth in a unit run by midwives at hospitals where maternity services are under threat.

About 100 women have completed a survey, which raises the possibility of a ‘stand-alone midwife-led unit’ at either Epsom, St Helier, Kingston or Croydon hospitals.

The Better Services, Better Value (BSBV) review, which set up the online survey, was proposing the closure of two doctor-led maternity units and accident and emergency units – with Epsom and St Helier widely believed to be in the firing line - while expanding the three remaining units.

The review team are using the survey to explore the possibility of providing a unit run by midwives in a community setting, but on a hospital site, for women who are unlikely to develop complications during childbirth.

The move comes just weeks before the planned opening in June of a new a £318,000 midwife-led birthing centre at Epsom Hospital, announced in January, which is an addition to its maternity unit.

It is unconnected to the BSBV process, with the money coming from the Department of Health for the 'home-from-home' centre with three large birthing pools and comfortable sofas.

Christina McKenzie, a midwife of 38 years and independent advisor to BSBV, said: "The survey was about testing the water and seeing if women are interested in looking at this further."

Ms McKenzie said a recent study of 'low-risk' pregnancies showed that there were no differences in outcomes for babies born in midwife-led and obstetric units.

The 2011 Birthplace study found that healthy women with a straightforward pregnancy are more likely to have a ‘normal birth’ at midwifery units than obstetric units.

Ms McKenzie said: "Midwives and lots of women's groups have been discussing when a healthy and well woman goes into a very medicalised environment in an acute hospital the anxiety caused by the environment can affect how the labour goes."

But she said that midwifery units did not offer epidurals, which are injections into the small to the back to provide pain relief during labour.

When asked about dangers during childbirth, she said: "The chances of things going wrong are actually very low. When looking after women in labour, midwives can pick up very quickly if it's not going quite right."

Hospital campaigner Rosemary Najim criticised the BSBV survey for not flagging up the dangers of emergency travel to an obstetric unit at another hospital - which would be the case if the unit was based at Epsom or St Helier if they lost their current maternity units.

Ms Najim said: "I would be very critical of the wording because it does not mention the dangers."

The survey says if problems arise then women will be taken by ambulance to the nearest obstetric unit to give birth supported by doctors.

Ms Najim said: "The question is would you get there in time? Things can go wrong at the last minute and you may not have time to transfer people to the obstetric unit."

She said despite being highly qualified, midwives and ambulance crew cannot do caesarean sections, adding: "It's going to be fine for most people but if it goes wrong then you have got mums dying and babies dying."

A pregnant woman from Epsom said if the doctor-led unit was turned into a midwife-led unit it would influence her choice over where to give birth.

She said: "If this means in an emergency instead of going to Epsom I would go to St Helier that would change how I feel about giving birth at home.

"The survey does not fully explain the impact of creating this unit. The thing is it's a good starting point."

Take part in the survey at: surveymonkey.com/s/W77D99L.