Is Home Birth Dangerous? | ObGyn Compares Hospital to Homebirth

Dr. Danielle Jones, board-certified ObGyn, reviews home birth vs hospital birth risk, safety, and mortality. Should you have your baby at home or in the hospital? If you’re in the United States, watch this before you decide. Homebirth is a small but growing segment of all the births that happen in the United States, up 77% from 2004 to 2017. Most of these are attended by midwives, whose training varies from rigorous graduate-level studies to a brief post-high school course. Unfortunately, the U.S. lacks the consistent regulation, oversight, and integration that makes home births a safe option in countries like the Netherlands and Canada. Importantly, we think midwives are key in improving maternal and neonatal mortality in this country, but how does homebirth play into that? Autonomy is key, but informed choices are required. 00:00 Intro 1:18 Reasons People Consider Home Birth 1:53 US System 5:04 US Midwife Training 8:06 Maternal Benefits 11:58 Neonatal Risks 16:26 Addressing US Outcomes with Safe Midwife