More and more American women are opting to give birth either in birthing centers or their homes. However, new studies question the safety of having a baby out of the hospital.
A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine gives a few of the plainest and most up to date information regarding the subject.
The research analyzed almost 80,000 pregnancies in Oregon. It was found that women who had planned to deliver their babies outside the hospital is 2.4 times more exposed to the risk of having their babies die during birth or approximately a month after than those who had planned to deliver their babies in the hospital.
According to the study, births carry greater threat of neonatal seizures, which also increases the odds of mothers needing blood transfusions or newborn babies needing ventilators.
Meanwhile, births outside the hospital are less likely to entail cesarean sections by about 5.3 percent. This is comparatively lower than the 24.7 percent for mothers who give birth in a hospital. Furthermore, giving birth inside a hospital also requires fewer interventions with augmenting labor, and fewer lacerations.
Only a small portion of births in the United States take place outside hospitals. However, the numbers have increased and this is partially due to several women wanting to steer clear from interventions such as cesarean sections or induced labor. A federal data which was gathered in 2012 suggests that births at birthing centers and at home consists of 1.28 percent of every one of American births. The number has significantly increased from 0.79 percent back in 2004.
Dr. Joseph Wax, the Vice chairman for the committee on obstetric practice of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, explained that the research suggested "there are clearly pros and cons to the different available birth settings, both with benefits and risks to moms and babies."
For more details about the study, you can read a more comprehensive report, NY Times relates.