The risk of death to newborns deliv...

The risk of death to newborns delivered at household is nearly twice that of newborns delivered in hospitals, according to a research article published in the August 2002 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology The close attention examined Washington state birth registry data from 1989 to 1996 and compared results for 6,133 babies intended to be born at to one's home (ie, 5,854 babies who were delivered in the hearthstone by a health care professional, 279 who were born in medical facilities after delivery at family was attempted) with outcomes for 10593 babies delivered in hospitals. The analysis was confined to single births of at least 34 weeks gestation in which there were no recorded pregnancy-related complications.

The incidence of neonatal mortality was 35 by 1,000 for planned home births versus 17 by 1,000 for hospital births. Babies born at household also were more likely to have gentle Apgar scores (ie, assessment of heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflexe and skin color) at five minutes after birth. Babies born at family to women who had not given birth previously were more likely to experience neonatal respiratory distress. Planned at-home births also were associated with increased incidence of question at issues such as prolonged labor and postpartum hemorrhage.

Women who planned at-home deliveries were more likely to be Caucasian, married, and nonsmokers and to have other children, according to the investigation The association between intent to deliver at family and newborn death was strongest in women who had not previously given birth.

J W Y Pang et al, "Outcome of planned to one's home births in Washington state: 1989-1996" Obstetrics and Gynecology 100 (August 2002) 253-259

COPYRIGHT 2002 Association of Operating extent Nurses, Inc.

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