The last ten years have seen increasing emphasis on the importance of offering healthy women choice in where they give birth. However, to date, the evidence on the quality, safety and costs of different settings has been limited to small scale and inadequate studies. The ‘Birthplace in England’ research project was undertaken to inform those who plan, commission and deliver maternity services. This lecture will discuss the results of the research and the implications they have for shaping maternity policy, as well as some of the challenges in undertaking such large-scale research in an environment where strong personal views are held.