Why don't more women consider home birth when it has been proven safer than hospital birth?

I would like to read the statistics you are refereeing too. Do you have a link?

What studies were done? By whom?

Before rattling off the high and mighty, I did the natural birth at home, what didn't you?" type of thing it is most likely best to actually have proof of what you are bleeping on about.

I am giving birth in a hospital because I know that if something goes wrong, the baby isn't breathing, I need an emergency c-section or I bleed a lot after (hemorrhage) that there is medical help less than 2 seconds away to save both my baby and me. Things go wrong and sometimes after labour or during people don't have time to wait for the ambulance (which has been proven to have a 17 minute delay from the emergency call to getting to you, I should point out here that I live in Western Australia before I get thumbs down because you have a better call out time where you live). Also I like the option that if things get too painful and intense I have the option of having drugs.

I have never seen studies stating that hospitals have a higher mortality rate than home births so if you would like to post the links to these statistics so I can read up on it that would be great.

But to tell you the truth I feel safer in a hospital where there are trained medical personnel, operating rooms, drugs, a NICU and it's a sterile clean environment.

No need to fight over it, the home birth worked better for you, and hospital birth worked better for others. All i know is that when mothers started giving birth in the hospital in the beginning of the 20th century, 90% gave birth in the hospital and even today, there is still a high percentage.

Anyways, well i was born in the hospital. And if i ever decide to give birth in the future,i'll personally, pick hospital birth. You don't know if something is going to be wrong with the baby. If anything should go wrong (with yourself or the baby), you would be further from help. Honestly, it is just plain safer in my opinion. BOTH are safe. What if the child stops breathing? i don't want to have a 30 min-1 hour drive to the hospital while my baby's suffering. And believe me, it HAS happened. I don't want to gamble any what ifs with my or my child's life. Hospital births are just as blissfully.Sure there are bad cases either way. Of course there are many horrible home birth stories - and there are also many more horrible hospital stories. I've been reading something on this website, and the issue causing the problems was not having a home birth - it was a bad midwife who persisted in wanting to do it herself even when it was clear there was a serious problem that needed a higher level of medical treatment. In all of the cases I read, the baby and mother would have been fine if the midwife had simply said - this is going beyond my training, you should transfer to doctor/hospital now. It's a bad midwife problem, not a home birth problem. And also some were in birth centers and some started at home but wound up at a hospital - which didn't stop the midwife from making bad decisions. There are also bad doctors. There are bad midwives who practice only in hospitals. Regardless of where you give birth, if at any point you feel like something is wrong and your care provider is not responding to your satisfaction you should immediately demand a new care provider or transfer to hospital or whatever. Home Birth can be great for people if they chose the right midwife and stuff, but again i personally prefer a doctor. Anything can happen anytime and its mostly between a life and death situation. Having to ride the ambulance for one hour vs being in the hospital, where everything you have is there. Again, peace out. There are very safe and blissfully births at HOME, and their are very blissfully and happy birth memories led at the hospital.

Honestly, this may sound selfish or bad or whatever but my answer is very very simple. Hospitals have the drugs. I'm not having a natural drug-free birth.

I'm going to fight as hard as I can against epesiotomies and cesareans if there is no medical need for it, but I know I will feel much more comfortable in a hospital environment where I know that if something goes wrong, my baby will have the best chance of survival.

I'm having my 2 midwives deliver my baby when I Give birth but I'll be giving birth in a hospital. I just feel much more comfortable that way.

Many women want the option for pain meds, which are not available in a home birth.

Many women don't have access to a midwife (i.e., they live in a state where DEM isn't legal, and wouldn't know how to go about finding a midwife.)

Many women are insured, and so can't afford to pay out of pocket for a midwife when their insurance will cover hospital birth.

Many women aren't aware of the research.

Many women just feel more comfortable giving birth in a hospital.

Many woman understand that while home birth is safer, that doesn't make hospital birth extrememly dangerous -- BOTH are safe options so again, they make the choice that is most comfortable (physically and emotionally) for THEM.

(And don't forget that you have the choice of refusing a c-section if one is offered to you in the hospital.)

EDIT: Just wanted to add -- it's been proven and demonstrated time and again that people -- including most very intelligent, sensible, educated people DON'T always make the choices that are, on paper, the 'best' or 'safest' choices. We often do things that 'feel' better to us, or make us more comfortable or happier or that are more convenient. Do you drive the safest car? Eat a perfect diet? Exercise for 45 minutes every day? Always stick to your budget? Neither do I.

You are correct in your analysis. The reason why so many women give birth in a hospital is because it has become the norm and they don't know any better. They go in there scared because they are socialized to believe that labor is so dangerous and you need a doctor there. They are uneducated and vulnerable in the delivery room and are willing to do whatever the doctor says because they naively believe the doctor has their best interest in mind, when really all they care about is their own bottom line. It's really very sad, more pregnant women should educate themselves and not just give in to what they are told.

Have you watched "The Business of Being Born" before? It talks a lot about many of the things you mentioned above. You can watch the entire thing on YouTube. Very informative.

Wow. I never looked into the subject, since I have no children, but you have really given me something to think about when we do have kids. I don't have an answer to your question, but thank you for opening my eyes to the subject. see? yahoo answers CAN be helpful! :)