According to a recent study published by the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (AJOG), the issue of planned home births and their association with neonatal mortality was examined.
It was found by the researchers that about 1 in 200 babies in the United States are delivered at home; 75% of those deliveries are planned as home births. Home births are associated with less medical intervention; however this is also seen to greatly increase rate of neonatal death.
Home births were seen to triple the chances of neonatal mortality. It was found that the major cause for these new born infants dying in home births was respiratory distress and failed resuscitation.
Home births are associated with less medical intervention such as epidural analgesia, electronic fetal heart rate monitoring, episiotomy, and operative vaginal and cesarean deliveries.
Also women may have fewer infections, vaginal lacerations, retained placentas and hemorrhages.
However, the risks of a home birth for the baby are seen to rise in the case of home deliveries, and this, according to the researchers is what needs to be highlighted for the attention of public health officials at state and national levels.
