THE SAFETY OF HOMEBIRTH
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The risk of infection
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Risks from unnecessary interventions
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Maternal morbidity rates from complications and interventions
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Risks from errors in hospitals
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Interference in bonding and breastfeeding from hospital policies
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Risks from poor staffing levels in hospitals
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The risks of tampering with the baby
Home birth reduces
Home birth provides
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Safe, familiar and private surroundings for labor and birth
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Woman-centered care during pregnancy, labor, and birth
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Family-oriented birth with no strangers present
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An opportunity for immediate bonding and breastfeeding
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Less disruption and stress for the whole family
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Affirmation that birth is a normal and profound life event
From the Citizens of Midwifery Fact Sheet
“…Women who intended at the start of labour to have a home birth with a certified professional midwife had a low rate of intrapartum and neonatal mortality, similar to that in most studies of low risk hospital births in North America. A high degree of safety and maternal satisfaction were reported, and over 87% of mothers and neonates did not require transfer to hospital.”
“…Our study of certified professional midwives suggests that they achieve good outcomes among low risk women without routine use of expensive hospital interventions. Our results are consistent with the weight of previous research on safety of home birth with midwives internationally. This evidence supports the American Public Health Association’s recommendation to increase access to out of hospital maternity care services with direct entry midwives in the United States…”
– Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America by Kenneth C Johnson, senior epidemiologist, Betty-Anne Daviss, project manager. (June 18, 2005)
“Home birth can be accomplished with good outcomes under the care of qualified practitioners and within a system that facilitates transfer to hospital care when necessary…”
– Outcomes of intended home births in nurse-midwifery practice: a prospective descriptive study by Murphy PA & Fullerton J., of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York. (September 1998)
“Excellent outcomes with much lower intervention rates are achieved at home births. This may be because the overuse of interventions in hospital births introduces risks or the home environment promotes problem-free labors.”
Henci Goer, Obstetric Myths versus Research Realities: A Guide to the Medical Literature. Bergin & Garvey, 1995. (From the Citizens of Midwifery Fact Sheet)