Is home birth risky?

Although in most pregnancies the delivery proceeds happily, there is a small percentage of them who they can present complications, both for the mother and for him. Complications appear in both home and hospital births, but in the hospital environment there are more resources, equipment and specialized health personnel that can represent the difference between life and death.

The mortality rate Perinatal in Spain has remained stable in recent decades (between 4 and 5 newborns per 1,000) and maternal mortality is 3-4 mothers out of 100,000 pregnancies and deliveries.

Better risk pregnancies in the hospital

The woman or family is free to decide where to give birth, and for this it is important get advice and be well prepared if a home birth is decided.

There are studies that compare the results of home births with hospital births, finding no significant differences in maternal mortality but a certain increase in neonatal mortality. What deliveries could be capable of being done at home?

• Single pregnancies
•  
• Of pregnant women without added pathology
• That they have reached the end of the pregnancy
• That the fetal presentation is cephalic
• That there is no history of cesarean section in previous deliveries.

If you give birth at home, let it be with a professional

The presence during delivery of a qualified professional, obstetrician or midwife, that he is responsible for the supervision at all times of the correct evolution of the delivery, and that he is prepared to detect any complications and refer the pregnant woman to a hospital.

It should also be a requirement to have planned transportation to this center which should not be more than 20 minutes.

Even so, there are obstetric emergencies that can occur in an unforeseen and absolutely explosive way, which is why many gynecologists and obstetricians position ourselves in favor of giving birth in a hospital environment despite having taken all the precautions.

Advantages of giving birth in a hospital

In our country we have a modern and solvent sanitary structure, and with access to public or private healthcare for all. At present, both in public and private, that the mother is comfortable, adapt to your wishes and that the experience of your childbirth is as pleasant as possible.

Also keep in mind that home birth isn't especially cheap since it is in charge of the patient. Can cost several thousand euros a qualified professional, but the same price can cost one, which is a person whose role is to offer accompaniment to the midwife, but does not have the proper preparation to attend a complication.

Newborn safety first

The safety of the newborn must be above all, because the baby cannot decide and can take risks due to a bad decision.

What we professionals are looking for is to give the better attention to each situation with a very clear priority: the maternal and fetal well-being And in second place that the mother enjoy her delivery and have a good memory, supporting her, giving her affection and adapting whenever possible to the wishes of each woman.

The risk always exists

Even with valuable technical and human resources, they live serious situations, unexpected and abrupt, which perhaps would have had different results if it had been done at home.

The conclusion, therefore, is that we trust our health system, and the obstetrician and midwife, who are, and predisposed not to intervene more than necessary.

• The woman or family is free to decide where to give birth, and for this it is important to seek advice and be well prepared if a home birth is decided.
• The presence of a qualified professional, obstetrician or midwife, who is responsible for supervising the correct evolution of the delivery at all times, should be ensured.
• There are obstetric emergencies that can occur in an unexpected and absolutely explosive way, which is why many gynecologists and obstetricians are in favor of giving birth in a hospital environment despite having taken all the precautions.

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