(RALEIGH) -- Several hundred people gathered outside the state Legislative Building to call for new rules that would allow more people to help deliver babies at home. North Carolina currently allows midwives to assist with delivery outside a hospital but only if that person is a nurse.

North Carolina Friends of Midwives vice president Russ Fawcett said the law causes many problems. "It causes access problems.  It's difficult to find them.  If there's a need to refer to a physician the midwife can't easily do that," said Fawcett.

Sarah Smith who decided to bring a child into the world outside a hospital said many women were surprised to find out she made this choice. "They really see it as there body isn't able to do whatever it needs to do in order for the baby to be born and they need some sort of intervention and science to sort of help them get through the process, but historically we've always done it own our own," said Smith.

The group’s rally comes less than two weeks after a Rowan County woman was charged with breaking state law for unauthorized practice of midwifery.