Stats on homebirth in other countries?

[Oriole]

Today DP and I were discussing birth options (not that we are expecting or trying heh). He is the kind that is willing to learn, but he doesn't think that it's possible that there are countries in Europe that favor HB, yet, I seem to remember hearing something like this (we both grew up in Europe).

Any stats I can share with him? Where would I have heard such a thing? Help me out, please?

[amitymama]

Currently, the home birth rate in the Netherlands is 32% and in the UK it's just under 3%, though it is rising. The NHS is actively promoting home births in many trusts for low-risk women and it is a legal right to have one and they cannot deny you if that's what you want. No one batted an eyelash when I announced to my GP that I wanted a home birth. He just referred me to the Community Midwives and they took over my care. I haven't seen a doctor or OB my entire pregnancy and will deliver at home, in the water, with two midwives in attendance (one for the majority of labor and another arrives when you're ready to start pushing). They do post-natal visits for two weeks and then I will be handed over to the Health Visitors who come to check on the baby a couple times after that and talk to me about how feeding is going, how I'm coping, signs of postnatal depression, etc.. The first time I will see my doctor again (GP, not an OB) is for my six week check at his office. The NHS promotes all of this because it's more natural and also because it costs a LOT less for women to deliver at home. No epidurals and anesthetists needed, no beds and labour rooms being taken up, no surgeons needed. Of course, a small percentage of women transfer (I think it's 10%) but the majority of homebirths go as planned, more or less.

Hope that helps a little!

[SophieAnn]

I think it's Norway where nearly all babies are caught by midwives, a high percentage are born at home and they have a very low infant mortality rate.

Sorry I couldn't find actual numbers... I think it was in a Mothering article. Will look some more, or maybe a member from Norway will respond?

[SophieAnn]

Okay, here's an article about homebirth in Holland:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/pr...n-holland.html

This might have been the article I was thinking of.

[Klynne]

Originally Posted by SophieAnn

I think it's Norway where nearly all babies are caught by midwives, a high percentage are born at home and they have a very low infant mortality rate.

Sorry I couldn't find actual numbers... I think it was in a Mothering article. Will look some more, or maybe a member from Norway will respond?

Yeah, it's the Netherlands that is best at hb in Europe.

Though nearly all babies are caught by midwives here, they are at hospitals. HB's are on the rise, but it's a slow trend.

We've had some debates in the media, especially after one of the princess's gave birth in her cabin on an island, a lot of the medical field was outraged and stamped hb as unsafe and dangerous , thankfully the tides are slowly turning though when i was pg with #1 my doc and all the midwives I saw we're not for homebirth first time around, I was told there are more complications with first-timers.

danmark also has some small percentage of hb's that is on the rise. in 2004 it was 4%... not to up to date on other countries besides the UK and you got the #'s for that already.

[cesca]

I'm in New Zealand, and I think the latest stats have us at around 7% homebirths, and the government is trying to encourage more women to have homebirths, as it frees up the health system a bit.

About half of my friends have homebirthed, it's quite common amongst my peers.

It's very easy to have a homebirth - totally free, and you can choose your own midwife, she visits you at home for all antenatal checks and then for 6 weeks after the birth.

I had both of my children at home, never saw a doctor or the inside of a hospital during my pregnancies.


Most women in NZ have midwives to deliver their babies (obs are only used for emergencies or high risk deliveries) and it's a great system, in my opinion.

[Emmeline II]

http://www.nationalperinatal.org/adv...th-Setting.pdf

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=92641635