“Our goal as midwives is always a physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy and safe birth.”
Is homebirth safe?
While it is not our intention to convince anyone to have a home birth, there is ample evidence supporting the safety of homebirth attended by skilled providers for people without serious underlying health issues and/or pregnancy complications.
As discussed in an Oregon State University article, the largest study to date in the United States of planned homebirth outcomes shows strong evidence of the safety of homebirth. Similar conclusions have been reached by large planned homebirth studies in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and other countries where midwives and homebirth make up a much greater percentage of total births than in the United States. Additionally, results of systematic reviews and meta-analyses comparing outcomes of intended home and hospital birth were recently published in The Lancet and can be found here and here.
Some documentaries about homebirth we recommend sharing with family and friends:
Why Not Home? https://www.whynothome.com/
Born At Home https://www.bornathomefilm.com.au/
Our goal as midwives is always a physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy and safe birth. We also acknowledge that birth is an intense and sometimes unpredictable experience, and a 100% guarantee of safety is not possible no matter the birth location or provider. It’s also important to recognize that medical systems in the U.S. are often resistant to community midwifery care despite its proven good outcomes. Because of this, community midwives in the U.S. may be less well integrated into medical systems than in some of the countries in the studies cited, which may affect outcomes. We utilize best practice guidelines for referrals and transfers when they are needed and work hard at facilitating healthy communication and fostering good relationships with receiving providers and institutions, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee how you/we will be received in the event of a transfer.
What happens if there’s an emergency at home?
The vast majority of transfers to the hospital from a planned homebirth are not emergencies. They are almost always situations that develop slowly enough for us to have plenty of time to discuss what is happening. This allows time for you to make a well-informed decision to transfer to the hospital without it being an emergency or requiring an ambulance.
As nurse midwives, we are trained and experienced in handling the most common birth complications, such as shoulder dystocia, postpartum hemorrhage, or a baby needing extra help to breathe, and we carry all emergency equipment and medications with us to every birth. During your prenatal care, we will work with you to create a detailed transfer plan so we (and you) are well prepared in the event that it’s needed.
More about our transfer standards here: https://www.homebirthsummit.org/best-practice-transfer-guidelines/
In the case of a true emergency, which is rare, we immediately contact Emergency Medical Services and transport to the hospital via ambulance.
What does “low risk” mean?
People who meet the following criteria are appropriate for homebirth with Wide Circles:
one fetus that is head down
estimated fetal weight appropriate for gestational age
spontaneous labor between 37+0 and 41+6 weeks gestation
absence of contraindications to vaginal birth
absence of pre-existing serious medical conditions
absence of serious obstetric conditions