Is a Homebirth Safe?
Or Just Plain Reckless?
For most people, in a homebirth, safety is the issue. We are sure that most of the people in your life will tell you that
a hospital is the safest place to birth your baby. For most, this seems like a no brainer.
However, the data - from sound scientific research - does not bear witness to this. In fact, the said data
shows that for most women and their babies, home is best and safest!
"There has never been a valid scientific study which shows that the hospital is safer than the home
for low risk women. Anything in print to the contrary is simply not true."
Marsden Wagner, M.D.
World Famous M.D. and WHO - World Health Organization - representative.
Are we saying that all women should have a homebirth? No! Nor are we promoting universal hospitalization.
Some women need to birth in a hospital and some will always feel safer in a hospital no matter what the data says or proves. These
women therefore should be able to birth in a hospital.
However, you should also be fully informed and be able to birth at home if you so choose. Women should not base their decisions
on fear but rather on facts. Yet, women will generally do as they are asked - or told - if it is for the sake of their baby.
Doctors know this to be true and for this reason often
use fear to coherce women in all kind of - unnecessary - interventions. ALL
women - however -
deserve the truth and nothing but...
The Scientific Evidence
Hospitals are more dangerous to your life and the life of your baby. A birth injury, birth trauma or even death is more likely to occur
in a hospital. And many of the complications that occur in a hospital birth do not occur at home.
So you are probably wondering: if safety is not the true reason we have been stirred toward hospitals to birth
our babies, then what is? Mostly it is politics and money of the medical
profession (although obviously not all), medical institutions as well as the medical system in general.
If you think about it, there is a lot of money at stake involving drug sales, medical technology and after your baby is born...formula.
Challenge anyone - including MDs - who says that hospitals are safer and ask - no demand - raw data and lots of it. You
won't get any. Marjorie Tew is a British statistician and a professor who went to prove that hospitals are safest...she could not. Instead she
proved that during birth...the less interventions the better the outcome.
In this day and age, only the uninformed - or misinformed - will
still debate homebirth's safety. A homebirth is safe for the right woman.
In England, right now, the medical community is re-introducing homebirth as a safe alternative: it is cheaper and has better outcomes.
In the Netherlands, over 30% of babies are born at home and their infant mortality rate is the best in the world!
All the
countries around the world with better outcomes use midwives
for prenatal care and favor homebirths. Do you think
this is a coincidence?
Birth Complications at a Homebirth
If you chose to birth at home - or if you have birthed at home - the first thing most
people will ask is: "Weren't you scared...what if something happened?"
It is a fair question driven by the fear of the birthing process and promoted - successfully - by the medical profession.
Yes, as with anything else there are risks involved in birth - birth complications can occur. But does birthing in a
hospital minimize the risks as most
people believe? The answer is no!
So let's look at some birth complications and see if they warrant giving up on a homebirth:
Cephalopelvic disproportion - or CPD
Nuchal cord - cord around the neck of your baby
Cord prolapse
Placenta previa
Placenta accreta
Placenta abruptio
Gestational diabetes
Breech baby
Twins
Fetal distress
Large baby
Infection and/or fever
Rh negative
Group B Strep
Why is a Hospital More Dangerous?
A hospital is more dangerous than a homebirth for these reasons:
Greater risk of infection
Presence of medical technology
Overuse of medical technology
Overuse of labor medications
Some more specific examples of dangerous drug use:
Pitocin
Cytotec
In conclusion, are we advocating that all women have a homebirth? NO! We understand that for some
women hospitals are safer - or at least feel safer.
However, we do not want women who choose a homebirth to be demonized for
choosing to birth at home. Most people believe that homebirthers are solely after the "experience" or
that they are "uneducated." The truth is much different.
Homebirthers are more educated than the average woman and they do not choose a homebirth for the
thrill of the experience but rather because they know it to be a safer
choice for their babies and themselves...and the data is on their side.
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