Out of Hospital Birth

While the overwhelming majority of births take place in a hospital, a growing number of women are choosing to deliver their babies in either a birth center or at home.  In either of those two settings, midwives are the predominant attending provider.  

A growing body of literature examines birth center and home birth outcomes and costs and policy makers have taken notice.  However, not all states license birth centers, and not all states allow midwives to legally attend home births.  Furthermore, midwives who practice in either a birth-center or patient's homes must necessarily take on business responsibilities that may not exist for those working in the hospital setting.