Home Births In US On The Rise

Researchers examining statistic’s from 2004 to 2009 have found that home births have been on the rise in the United States.

Though during that time period that saw a 29% increase in women giving birth at home, the overall population of women doing so only accounted for 1.1% all US births or 1 in every 90 births.

Researchers found that of those women who gave birth at home mostly had already had a child and were over the age of 35.

They also reported that of all the states, Montana, had the highest rate of home births at 2.6%.

A co-author on the report, from Boston University, writes that most of the home births are not “accidental” and actually involve “women who are consciously rejecting the system.”

The report indicated a possible down-side to a home birth compared to going to the hospital, is that most babies born at home are premature and are lower in weight.

Though not going to the hospital, that doesn’t mean the mothers don’t have professional help, of the total home births more then 60% were with a midwife present and at another 5% a doctor was present.

”Women may prefer a home birth over a hospital birth for a variety of reasons, including a desire for a low-intervention birth in a familiar environment,” the authors of the report wrote. “They may also deliver at home for religious reasons or a lack of transportation in rural areas.”