25 Home Birthing Statistics & Facts: 2025 Trends

Home births are having a moment. Whether it’s the appeal of a familiar environment or the desire to avoid medical interventions, more families are opting to welcome their babies outside of a hospital setting.

However, skipping the hospital isn’t the right path for everyone. While there are distinct benefits regarding comfort and autonomy, there are also real risks and complications that every parent needs to weigh carefully.

We’ve gathered 25 crucial statistics and facts, backed by medical research and official studies, to help you navigate the pros and cons of home birthing.

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25 Statistics and Facts About Home Birthing

Let’s dive into the data. These 25 statistics offer a clear, unbiased look at the reality of home birth versus hospital delivery to help you decide what is best for your family.

Home Birth vs. Hospital Birth Statistics

Understanding the raw numbers can clarify the differences in safety, outcomes, and trends between these two birthing locations.

1. The pandemic sparked a shift: COVID-19 changed how many families viewed hospital safety. Between 2019 and 2022, the U.S. saw a 22 percent jump in home births, the largest increase since 1990 ⁽¹⁾.
2. Hospital births show lower neonatal death rates: A comprehensive U.S. study determined that planned hospital births resulted in 1.8 deaths per 1,000, compared to 3.9 deaths per 1,000 for intended home deliveries ⁽²⁾.
3. APGAR scores vary by location: Babies born at home are statistically more likely to have lower APGAR scores (the quick test performed at 1 and 5 minutes after birth). They also have a slightly higher chance of requiring ventilation or seizure management.
4. Fewer interventions at home: The trade-off for the risks mentioned above is a drastic reduction in medical interference. Home births result in fewer inductions, vacuum extractions, forceps deliveries, and C-sections compared to hospital settings.
5. Transfer rates are notable: Not every planned home birth stays at home. About 15 percent of women intending to birth at home are transferred to a hospital during labor. However, for mothers who have given birth before, that rate drops to about nine percent ⁽³⁾.
6. Canadian data on safety: Research from our neighbors to the north suggests hospital births are safer for the infant. One study showed a death rate of 0.35 per 1,000 for planned home births versus 0.57 per 1,000 for planned hospital births ⁽⁴⁾.
7. Risk factors matter immensely: Home birth safety relies heavily on a low-risk pregnancy. Conditions like gestational diabetes, breech positioning, or expecting multiples make the hospital the statistically safer option.
8. Cost differences are significant: While prices vary wildly by state and midwife certification, the average home birth costs around $4,650 ⁽⁵⁾. In contrast, the average hospital birth is over $18,000, though insurance coverage plays a massive role in the final out-of-pocket expense ⁽⁶⁾.

Benefits of Home Births

It is not just about avoiding a hospital trip; for many, home birth is about empowerment and comfort. Here are the primary benefits for low-risk pregnancies.

1. Total environmental control: At home, you call the shots. You control the lighting, the temperature, the playlist, and the guest list. This familiarity releases oxytocin, the hormone that drives labor, potentially making the process smoother and less stressful.
2. Higher breastfeeding rates: The uninterrupted skin-to-skin time at home pays off. A study found that 87.5 percent of home birth mothers were exclusively breastfeeding at six weeks, compared to 76.8 percent of hospital birth mothers ⁽⁷⁾.
3. Reduced C-section risk: Staying home significantly lowers the odds of surgical birth. Canadian research highlights that women planning home births had a 5.2 percent C-section rate, whereas low-risk women planning hospital births had a rate of 8.1 percent.
4. Potential cost savings: Without the overhead of a hospital room and medication, home births are generally cheaper. However, this is a double-edged sword, as some insurance providers may not cover midwifery care, meaning you might pay more out-of-pocket.
5. Immediate and uninterrupted bonding: There is no nursery to whisk the baby away to. You can crawl right into your own clean sheets, cuddle your newborn, and recover without nurses checking your vitals every hour.
6. Physical recovery is often easier: Mothers who birth at home experience fewer severe vaginal tears and perineal lacerations compared to hospital births ⁽⁸⁾.
7. Great for second-time moms: If you have done this before, your body knows the drill. Only four to nine percent of multiparous (experienced) mothers require a hospital transfer, compared to over 20 percent of first-time moms ⁽⁹⁾.
8. Avoids roadside delivery: For women with a history of precipitous (very fast) labor, planning a home birth prevents the stress and danger of trying to rush to a hospital while fully dilated.
9. Supports natural birth goals: If you want to avoid epidurals or Pitocin, home is the best place to be. The absence of easy access to pharmacological pain relief drastically increases the success rate of unmedicated births.

Risks and Complications of Home Birthing

Understanding the potential downsides is just as important as knowing the benefits. Here is what the data says about the risks involved.

1. Infant mortality is statistically higher: The hard numbers show that planned hospital births result in 1.8 deaths per 1,000, while home births sit at 3.9 per 1,000. While the absolute risk is low, the relative risk is higher at home.
2. Midwife qualifications vary: In the U.S., not all midwives have the same training. Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) are highly trained medical professionals. However, in some states, anybody can call themselves a midwife without a nursing degree or medication privileges ⁽¹⁰⁾. It is vital to vet your provider.
3. Complications require transfer: If an emergency arises, you cannot just push a button for help. You have to transfer to a hospital. Distance and traffic can cause delays that impact the outcome for both mother and baby.
4. Neurological risks: Some studies indicate a slightly higher risk of serious neurological dysfunction in babies born at home or in freestanding birth centers compared to hospitals ⁽¹¹⁾.
5. Transfer difficulties: The transfer process itself can be traumatic or complicated, leading to delays in receiving critical care like blood transfusions or emergency C-sections.
6. Breech risks are elevated: Attempting a home vaginal birth with a breech baby significantly raises the mortality rate (13.5 per 1,000 intrapartum deaths) compared to hospital settings.
7. VBAC risks: For mothers attempting a Vaginal Birth After C-section (VBAC) at home, the mortality rate for the baby jumps to 2.9 per 1,000, compared to just 0.13 per 1,000 in a hospital.
8. Uterine rupture concern: While rare, the risk of uterine rupture is higher for home births, particularly for those with previous uterine scarring ⁽¹²⁾.

The bottom line? Home birth is safest when the pregnancy is uncomplicated, the mother is healthy, and a certified nurse-midwife is in charge.

Who Is Eligible for a Home Birth?

While you technically have the right to birth where you choose, responsible healthcare providers follow strict eligibility guidelines to keep you safe. Most midwives will not take you on as a home birth client if you have pre-existing conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or a history of preterm labor.

Additionally, specific pregnancy factors usually rule out a home birth, including:

• Multiples: Carrying twins or triplets.
• Position: Breech or transverse baby positioning.
• Timing: Preterm labor (before 37 weeks) or post-term (after 42 weeks).
• Previous C-sections: Many providers consider VBACs too high-risk for a home setting.

If you fall into these categories, the risk of perinatal death or severe complications rises, making a hospital the recommended choice.

FAQs

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In Conclusion

Deciding where to give birth is one of the first big parenting decisions you will make. By looking at the statistics and understanding your own risk profile, you can choose the setting that makes you feel safest and most supported. Whether that is a birthing tub in your living room or a delivery room in a hospital, the goal remains the same: a healthy parent and a healthy baby.