Why do some people think home births are dangerous?

Question

Most of the time, an ambulance or ride to the hospital is not far away. High risk pregnancies are not supposed to have home births, if there are any indication of problems they go to the doctor immediately. My mother has done 100's and 100's of home births and is a nurse for a hospital. She has never had a problem or a complication that has hurt anyone because the first indicator of a problem they are at the doctors. Is it just because they have distorted knowledge of home births, or just because they are ignorant of home births? I was just wanting to know. This is my first pregnancy and though I am not having a home birth, would not grimace at the fact that I could. If anyone for or against home births please explain this to me. My cousin and many family members have had home births and no complications.

19 weeks pregnant.

I was wanting to know from both points of view. I wasn't sure why some people look at home births as a stupid thing and it is why I ask this question.

To correct the statement that I think people who have deliveries at the hospital are ignorant, maybe you should read my question better. I said they are ignorant of "HOME BIRTHS" not hospital births. I didn't say home births were bad, just that there are many who are ignorant of home births. Please read the question before assuming such things. Also, I did not say all people.

I didn't say hospital births were bad.

Also, the ignorance I am asking about means "not knowing about that particular subject". Do not call me ignorant because I was asking about those who do not know about home births.

Answer 1

Okay 's', get your panties out of the bunch...when she used the term 'ignorant', it's actually an educated vocabulary that means 'lacking in knowledge'.

And you are right. Most people are lacking in knowledge or in experience with homebirths, because hospital births are so mainstream and such the norm now that people just DON'T know what they are like. And the complications that are publicized are so much in the media, that there is no focus on the millions of women who don't have complications.

My MIL homebirthed all of her kids, and all of her kids have homebirthed their children. Something like forty children, and only one has had problems, she was presenting shoulder first. The midwife was well trained and delivered the baby just fine. I have loved my homebirths especially since the hospital staff always seems to 'know' me better than I know myself. "OH honey, don't push now, just because your BODY wants to doesn't mean you can.." (meaning, you have to wait til the doc gets here so he can charge for the birth), or "Push Push Push...even if you don't feel the urge, just keep pushing" (meaning, so we can keep on schedule! you aren't the only one birthing you know)

My mom's an OB nurse. I've heard it from the other end. Oh yeah, it's not pretty. I understand the fears, really, some really terrible things can happen during labor, and during delivery. But interference can cause some really bad things too. It's all about making your own choice, i guess.

Answer 2

The thing is that birth is risky. period.

There are complications that may not be caught by a doctor prior to delivery. When I had my son, he was 10lbs 6 oz. I needed oxytocin. Though I had planned to go without epidural, I demanded one suddnly (at hour 46 of labor, mind you). When I was pushing, it took 2 1/2 hours and he still was only crowning. They needed to do an immediate vaccuum extraction which took a special doctor and a pediatrician on hand, he had shoulder distotia so they had to manually push and pull him out and the baby needed to go immediately to the SCU and stay for ~16 hours.

During the pregnancy I had absolutely no complications, I am young and healthy, my husband and I are both average sized people and were average sized babies.

I guess there just is no way to tell what's going to happen. It's nice having all the doctors and nurses and items necessary for any birthing complication right there available to you. I mean - the OR for birthing is right across the hall.

I can understand that people want to be comfortable - but I'd say, labor at home as long as you can, then go to the hospital for the pushing.

In my case the hospital was a 40 minute drive away. I went in at 10 hours, then went home for 10 hours, then back in for the rest. I'd toured the ward before the labor which was good because I knew where I was going, and where the water was, juice, etc.

When you have all this medical expertise and facilities available to you - why not take advantage of that?

Answer 3

Why? Because if something went wrong and seconds/minutes counted it would be too late by the time the ambulance got there and took the mother to the hospital.
I would not trust anyone who was not a doctor to deliever my child.
Just because she has never had a problem doesn't mean she never will.
If your not having a home birth then what is that saying? You obviously don't trust the whole ideal of it.

If something were to go wrong say you needed a c-section right away well if you were in the hospital it would only take a minute or two to have you in the OR whereas all a midwife/nurse can do is dial 911. I believe i would stick to a real doctor not someone that thinks they are one.

Just because they aren't high risk in the beginning or even towards the end does not mean something could go wrong. Hospital births are not ignorant if that is what you meant in your question but if they are so great (home births) then why are you not having one?

Answer 4

I had my delivery at a hospital, b/c it was just my perogative. I personally felt safer and also, I was having a large baby and was over due...so I wanted to be extra safe. I think it is just that some people don't want to take "the chance" of being at home giving birth and then all of a sudden something happens, and then they have to wait for an amublance and so on. For example, oxygen may be needed if the baby isn't getting enough, hemmoraging can happen after birth, or the baby can get stuck in the birth canal, b/c the head might have been mis-judged in size and then may require an emergency c-section. It's not that the mid-wife isn't experienced, it's just that you can't predict problems and many people don't want to gamble with such an important event.

Answer 5

Yes we have been doing home births for 100's of years but for as long as people have been giving birth, women have been dying due to complications of childbirth and the like. Would you not agree that hospital births have greatly cut down on the mortality rate of women and newborns? If not then your view is completely biased.

Just because the women you mention haven't had complications does not mean that home birth isn't without risk. Even women with perfect pregnancies end up with complications at birth. Even with the very best hospitals there are still women who die from complications.

While my first three births were very easy. Our fourth birth was extremely complicated. Had I not been in a hospital it is certain my son and I would have died even if the hospital had been as little as 10 minutes away.

Home birth is a choice, but all women need to be educated on the risks. Placenta abruption and other kinds of complications need to be acted on immediately. They can not wait for traffic or other things.

Hospital Birth isn't without it's faults but if you end up with an emergency situation for Mother or baby it's the best place to be. Even full term babies can require medical intervention. There are multiple circumstances to which this can happen, your Mother knows that I'm sure. If she truly is a nurse. If she attends such home births I can't help but wonder why you needed to ask questions about conception and due dates??? Anyone with a mother in the field would have posed the question to their mother instead.

I hope that your birth goes well for you. I believe women should have the choice of where to give birth. But it's also important to realize there are times when not being at the hospital has cost women or their babies their very lives.

Answer 6

Personally, I think home births are awesome, as are birthing center births. Not that I have personally experienced either, but there has to be something better than a hospital for mothers having normal, uncomplicated deliveries. I have watched many episodes of such births on TLC and Discovery Health, and they look more peaceful and relaxing than those that take place in a hospital room!

Answer 7

I think that the thought of giving birth @ home is nice, but i just would feel more comfortable with lots of life saving macchines around me. Maybe i'm paranoid, but i just want he reassurance that if something goes wrong, i don't have to wait for an ambulance and ride to the nearest hospital before i can get help. Plus i live in a rural area so the nearest hospital is a 25 or 30 minute drive from me. Maybe i watch the Discovery Health Channel too much. I see all these shows where the baby's cord gets wrapped around its neck and they have to do an emergency c-section. Technology is great and i want my kid to access to the best of the best as fast as possible if the need arises.

Answer 8

Sometimes I think people base their opinions on other experiences. The midwives in my area that provide home births are very strict about certain things and most people around here have a negative opinion about home deliveries because of that. Examples of this are: they do not accept clients who don't breastfeed and don't allow formula to be present, they do not participate in state's newborn screening programs, don't use the eyedrops after birth, etc.

So in some ways, in my opinion, certain home birth providers do make the situation higher risk. I know not all midwives are like that....but certainly the ones in my town!

Good luck with your pregnancy.

Answer 9

im not sure, but I am in the same boat as you,
we are planning on having another child and are going to have a homebirth- yes we are considered by most doc high risk, i have had 3 sections but 2 were just repeats
a lot of people do not believe in homebirth, but i very much support it, and i have a lot of family and friends that do not support it so we are just not telling them
why have u chosen not to go with a home birth is sooo great, and bonding, and a lot of labors go easier at home than in a stupid hospital been there done that and i think if i had just gone home and waited with my first she would have come in due time but i was young and nieve

Answer 10

I think it is pretty ignorant of you to say that others are "ignorant" for thinking that a hospital birth is safer than a home birth. The reason that people tend to go to the doctor IS for the "in case." Your mother has done hundreds and hundreds of home births with zero complications? Well, good for her and the parents. That is really good to hear. Unfortunately, not all people are that lucky. With the technology today, complications are lower, but still exist. I am not for or against, but I think you need to think about what you are talking about before you call people ignorant. You are bringing another human being into the world and sometimes things do happen. Home births aren't regulated, they don't have all the precautions, and in the event that something happens, it is better to be AT the hospital than just a "quick" ambulance ride away. Its the mother's choice, but you should weigh the pros and cons before spouting off your opinion to the world. Not everyone is as lucky as your family has been, you should be greatful.