Dutch Home Birth Findings

Further "Statistically Significant" Home Birth Findings...

The British Medical Journal have recently printed a new article looking at a Dutch study of Home versus Hospital births in the Netherlands. The study states:

 "For parous women the rate of severe acute maternal morbidity for planned home versus planned hospital birth was 1.0 versus 2.3 per 1000 births" 

 

Written in common language this means that the chances of things "going wrong" for a second time Mum is 1 in 1000 for home births and 2.3 in 1000 for hospital births.


Quoting from the RCOG website - Dr Tony Falconer, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:

“The RCOG supports the choice of a home birth for low-risk women expecting a second or third baby.  This large study reiterates the findings from the Birthplace study which showed good outcomes for some low-risk women and their babies who delivered in either midwife-led units or at home. However, transfer rates to consultant-led units were high, particularly for first time mothers.

This study, which focused on maternal outcomes only, makes the case for an expansion of midwife-led units with appropriate midwifery staffing, alongside consultant obstetric units. This would improve women’s choices, in particular for women with a previous history of normal labour and good outcome. 

The rate of home birth in the UK (2%) is low in comparison to the Netherlands where the proximity to specialist services with short transfer times is the norm. The same advantages are not always available across the UK, so the safety of home birth has to be considered in the context of the availability of local services.

Our High Quality Women’s Health Care report emphasised the need for a reorganisation of women’s health services around clinical networks. There is a greater need for more services to be provided in the community for low-risk women. For more complex cases, women need access to units providing 24 hour consultant cover.”

Currently in the UK only 2.4% of births are planned at home, this is significantly less than the Netherlands at around 20%. This difference maybe to do with how confident women feel about transfer times to hospital and availability of local services & services in the community mentioned above.

Cultural Momentum

I think that cultural impact must also have an effect on the amount of women in the Netherlands choosing to have a home birth. The more women that give birth at home without complications, will lead to more women having the confidence to also have a home birth.


Nothing is guaranteed. The choice of a Home Birth is there, but you need to decide if it's the right thing for you...

• Talk to your midwife
• Consider whether it is your first or subsequent pregnancy
• Consider transfer times
• Consider the feelings and support of your birth partner

 
Click here for more on the Home versus Hospital Decision.