Home Birth Poses Danger for Higher-Risk Pregnancies: Study

Researchers looked at infant death rates in Oregon

May 8, 2012 RSS Feed Print

In the Oregon deaths, it's unknown if the women knew about the conditions prior to deciding to give birth at home, or if the problems arose during labor. Either way, these women should have been in a hospital, Norton said.

"They were all very high-risk conditions and not patients that should have been delivering at home," Norton said.

Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The American Pregnancy Association has more on home births.