The authors of the Birthplace study, which covers more than 64,500 births, say that women with low-risk pregnancies should be given the right to choose where they give birth.
But the study does show that there is a slight extra risk of problems for the babies of first-time mothers who opt to stay at home.
The research was launched at the Royal Society of Medicine today (25 November), where hundreds packed into the lecture hall to hear speeches and debate the findings.
Those behind the study found that adverse outcomes for the baby were rare in women who had low-risk pregnancies.
They happened in 4.3 births per 1000 in the study and there was no significant difference between hospital obstetric units and elsewhere.
However, there was a slight increase in the risk of an adverse outcome for babies of first-time mothers at home – 9.3 per 1,000 births, compared with 5.3 in hospital and 4.5 in a dedicated birth centre.
Cathy Warwick, RCM chief executive, said the college hopes the findings of the ‘ground-breaking research’ widely used and will help health professionals support women to make informed choices about their options.
‘This study demonstrates clearly the safety of midwife led-care,’ she said.
‘For women who do not have complications associated with their pregnancy, planning to give birth at home or in a midwife-led unit (MLU), whether it is close to a hospital or not, is as safe as planning to give birth in a consultant-led unit.
‘Rates of birth without medical intervention are significantly increased in planned homebirths or those in midwife-led units.
‘Women expecting their first baby should be advised that they are as safe planning to give birth at a midwife-led unit as a consultant-led unit.
‘They will experience less medical intervention in labour, such as caesarean section, forceps delivery, and blood transfusion.
‘They are also more likely to use water for birth and or (for pain relief and avoid an episiotomy (planned cut).
‘Most of these women will actually give birth in a midwife-led unit. For those who will require transfer during labour, it is vital for these women that there are excellent systems of communication and transport for their safe and swift transfer.’
She added that the results of the study reinforce how important it is that, despite financial pressures, homebirth services and freestanding midwife led-unit are not cut.
The study reports can be downloaded
here.
