Newborns in the U.S. are much more likely to survive a hospital delivery than a planned home birth, regardless of how qualified the attendin
“Researchers looked at mortality rates within 30 days of birth for newborns who were delivered by midwives, either at home or in a hospital, between 2010 and 2017.
Dr. Amos Grunebaum and colleagues found that on average, nearly 14 newborns per 10,000 live births died following planned home births - more than four times the rate for babies born in hospitals”
Most midwives who oversee home births in the U.S. work without a license that meets standards set by the International Confederation of Midwives’ Global Standards for Midwifery Education.
Hospital-certified nurse-midwives, however, hold university degrees in midwifery and receive rigorous training to diagnose and manage complications.
Still, the current study found that the type of midwife was not the determining factor for infant mortality rates. Rather the location - home versus hospital - was key.
Compared to the 3.27/10,000 mortality rate when certified nurse-midwives attended hospital deliveries, mortality when certified nurse-midwives attended planned home births was almost three-fold higher, at 9.28 per 10,000. With non-certified midwives, mortality for babies born in planned home births was 12.44/10,000.
Emergencies also mean that nearly half of women who have planned home births end up having to transfer to a hospital, which further endangers their newborns
