Home birth or short-stay hospital birth in a low risk population in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands women with low risk pregnancies can choose whether they want to give birth at home or in hospital, under the care of their own primary caregiver. The majority of these women prefer to give birth at home, but over the last few decades an increasing number of low risk women have cho...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social science & medicine (1982) 1998-06, Vol.46 (11), p.1505-1511
Main Authors: Wiegers, T.A., van der Zee, J., Kerssens, J.J., Keirse, M.J.N.C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Birth
Births
Childbirth
Choice
Comparison
Delivery, Obstetric
Delivery. Postpartum. Lactation
Female
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Health
Health care
Health Status
Home birth
Home Childbirth
Home health care
Hospitals
Humans
Length of Stay
Maternal, fetal and perinatal monitoring
maternity care
maternity care home birth Netherlands
Medical sciences
Netherlands
Perceptions
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies
Risk
Social Support
Socioeconomic Factors
Women
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Summary:In the Netherlands women with low risk pregnancies can choose whether they want to give birth at home or in hospital, under the care of their own primary caregiver. The majority of these women prefer to give birth at home, but over the last few decades an increasing number of low risk women have chosen a hospital birth, leaving hospital with their baby shortly after delivery. As both this trend and its effects have not been extensively investigated, a study was designed to examine the determinants of the choice for home or hospital birth. It was hypothesized that the choice would be determined by a combination of personal and social factors. Structural equation modelling indicated that social factors, especially the confidence of significant others in home birth and the expectations of hospital care during childbirth, were by far the strongest predictors of choice. Personal factors, measured as perceived health status before and during pregnancy, the existence of minor symptoms and fear of pain or complications during birth, were found to play an indirect role. Demographic variables such as age, education and urbanization showed no effect. These findings indicate that emphasizing the good results and excellent quality of Dutch maternity care at home is likely to support and strengthen the general acceptance of home birth.
ISSN:0277-9536
1873-5347
DOI:10.1016/S0277-9536(98)00021-5