The number of babies born at home instead of in a hospital has increased by almost one-third between 2004 and 2009, says a recent report from the Center for Disease Control. One of every 90 babies is now born at home. Here are details for parents about home vs. hospital births and why more parents are choosing midwifery and at-home childbirth.
* According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 1900 most all babies were born at home. That trend reversed and by 1969, 99 percent of births happened in hospitals or birthing centers. Home births are still rare, but in the last few years have increased by 29 percent in all population groups.
* The U.S. National Library of Medicine says that in 1989, birth certificate reporting laws changed to include data on several medical and lifestyle risk factors involved with the mother's pregnancy and the baby's birth. The U.S. Certificate of Live Birth lists birthing procedures performed, delivery method (vaginal or Cesarean section), unusual conditions and birth defects in the infant. Names of people attending the baby's birth, place of birth and ethnic origins of parents were added, too. This additional data helps statisticians track parent birthing habits.
* According to the CDC, 36 percent more non-Hispanic Caucasian mothers opted to birth babies at home. Fewer women in other ethnic backgrounds chose home delivery. Home births were more common among mothers over 35 and among those who already had children.
* The risks with home births are lower than with hospital births, said the research. Fewer teen and unwed mothers had babies at home. Fewer babies were born preterm, with low birth weight or in multiples.
* According to Health Day, the biggest concern with home birth is lack of access to medical equipment and procedures should sometime go wrong. Mothers with previous or current high-risk pregnancies are typically advised by doctors to deliver in a medical center. However, parents who chose home births said that what they liked most about this method at home was less obstetric intervention. A chief reason for having a midwife deliver the baby at home is that she is trained in a variety of less-invasive natural birthing practices, whereas hospitals rely more on C-section, labor induction and other clinical procedures.
* The American College of Nurse-Midwives says that continuous, individualized care and therapeutic vs. medical childbirth are the biggest reasons most mothers choose to have babies at home. Parents also like to have control over the environment in which their children enter the world. As long as the mother is not at medical risk, midwives say, giving birth at home is safer for mom and baby.
Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes about parenting from 23 years raising four children and 25 years teaching K-8, special needs, adult education and homeschool.
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