Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety of home births in North America involving direct entry midwives, in jurisdictions where the practice is not well integrated into the healthcare system.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
All home births involving certified professional midwives across the United States (98% of cohort) and Canada, 2000.


METHODS
All 5418 women expecting to deliver in 2000 supported by midwives with a common certification and who planned to deliver at home when labour began.


METHODS
Intrapartum and neonatal mortality, perinatal transfer to hospital care, medical intervention during labour, breast feeding, and maternal satisfaction.


RESULTS
655 (12.1%) women who intended to deliver at home when labour began were transferred to hospital. Medical intervention rates included epidural (4.7%), episiotomy (2.1%), forceps (1.0%), vacuum extraction (0.6%), and caesarean section (3.7%); these rates were substantially lower than for low risk US women having hospital births. The intrapartum and neonatal mortality among women considered at low risk at start of labour, excluding deaths concerning life threatening congenital anomalies, was 1.7 deaths per 1000 planned home births, similar to risks in other studies of low risk home and hospital births in North America. No mothers died. No discrepancies were found for perinatal outcomes independently validated.


CONCLUSIONS
Planned home birth for low risk women in North America using certified professional midwives was associated with lower rates of medical intervention but similar intrapartum and neonatal mortality to that of low risk hospital births in the United States.
Johnson
Kenneth C
KC
Surveillance and Risk Assessment Division, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Public Health Agency of Canada, PL 6702A, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A OK9. ken_lcdc_johnson@phac-aspc.gc.ca <ken_lcdc_johnson@phac-aspc.gc.ca>
Daviss
Betty-Anne
BA
D001946:Breech Presentation; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006700:Home Childbirth / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology