Home birth safety in low-risk pregnancies is similar to hospital birth

Takeaway

• With home birth, risks are equal to those associated with hospital birth in this meta-analysis of low-risk pregnancies.

Why this matters

• Acceptance of home birth is increasing despite unclear evidence of its safety.
• Integration of home birth care providers within the health care system depends on geographic location and societal context.

Key results

• No significant difference in primary outcome between those intending to deliver at home and those intending to deliver in a hospital.

Study design

• Systematic review and meta-analysis (14 studies included in meta-analysis).
• Data for low-risk women analyzed.
• Primary outcome was any perinatal or neonatal death after the onset of labor.
• Funding: Association of Ontario Midwives open peer-reviewed grant.

Limitations

• Results may not be generalizable across all health care systems; home births occurring in less well-integrated settings were excluded.
• Adverse outcomes may be underestimated because this study excluded women transferred to hospital in labor as well as high-risk patients.
• Definitions of low-risk vs high-risk patients are unclear.