Are we back to the basics? Home births are on the rise in US, albeit slowly.

Planned home birth has always been a subject of controversy in US. ACOG practice committee stats that hospitals and birthing center are safest place to give births but every woman has a right to make an informed choice.

WHO also endorses the right to have a home birth in low risk pregnancy with immediate arrangements for transfer to hospital if need arises.  Netherland has the highest home birthrate of 20% in developed country in 2013 while Sweden is lowest with .1%.

United states the rate is 1.28% as of 2012 CDC data, and it is slowly on the rise.

A beautiful talk by Saraswathi Vedam on this controversial subject.

Saraswathi Vedam, RM, FACNM, MSN, Sci D (h.c) is the Director of the Division of Midwifery in the Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, and founder of the UBC Midwifery Faculty Practice, Birth & Beyond. Over the last 27 years, she has cared for families in the U.S., the Netherlands, India, and Canada in a variety of private and public health care settings. She serves as chair of the Homebirth Section of the ACNM Division of Standards and Practice, and as Senior Consultant on the MANA Division of Research Coordinating Council. Professor Vedam is a committed educator who has taught in midwifery, medical, and nursing programs universities across North America.