Abstract
Home birth is highly controversial and divisive. Medical organizations oppose the practice, while other maternity-related organizations (nursing, midwifery, public health, consumer advocacy, doula and childbirth education) uphold home birth as a safe, reasonable choice for healthy pregnant women. Individual physicians and midwives have more complex perspectives on home birth than their professional organizations. Women choose home birth primarily for safety. In addition, they also have had negative hospital experiences, desire low intervention rates, trust birth and want a familiar, safe environment. Public opinion centers on four main issues: safety, choice, women’s experiences and critiques of maternity care. Ironically, medical opposition to home birth compromises safety. After reviewing current attitudes towards and research about home birth, this article discusses how discarding the status quo of hostility and mutual distrust in favor of a pragmatic, autonomy-based approach that fosters communication and respect would make home birth a safer choice.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.