Natural Birth Subculture Increases the Number of Home Births

A Study done by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have concluded that home births are on the rise. Looking at the years 2004 through 2004 home births had increased by twenty percent.

Statistics for Home Births

Home births are still considered rare at least compared to the days when women gave birth at home before hospitals and obstetricians where in high demand for childbirth. Home births are most popular with white women it is estimated that one in ninety-eight give birth at home, the statistics for African American women is one in three hundred and fifty-seven and for Hispanic women one out of five hundred women chose to give birth at home.

Doctors Do Not Approve of Home Birth

Many doctors do not approve of home births especially with high risk pregnancies. Complications even with normal pregnancies can arise during birth that can be life threatening for both the mother and newborn. Even with a midwife present, he/she is limited to the equipment they have available in case of an emergency.

The study was done by two CDC researchers and a Boston university professor. It was electronically published Friday by a medical journal called Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care.