Perspective: The buzz about Meghan Markle’s birth plan has highlighted the stigma around home births
Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Endeavor Fund Awards in London on Feb. 7. By Sarah Hosseini May 3 at 10:30 AM As we continue to await news of the royal baby, the speculation over Meghan Markle’s birth plan is rampant. And as rumors swirl that she and Prince Harry may be planning a home birth, that practice has come under increased scrutiny. The rumors have spurred a conversation about the risks of home births, and the importance of carefully planning them.
Conversely, in England, where the Duchess of Sussex will give birth, the most recent studies have shown no significant differences in safety between obstetric units and non-obstetric units for low-risk women. Additionally, for women who have given birth before, planned home births resulted in fewer interventions such as the use of forceps or a vacuum, induced labor, or antibiotics for the mother, with no impact to the baby’s health.
All of these are considered risk factors. Additionally, breech presentation, multiples, prior C-sections, prior birth complications, gestational diabetes and other factors can play critical roles in determining the risk for mothers and babies. “When a laboring mother is relaxed and supported, it’s easier for her body to go through the physiological birth process,” she says. “And relaxation conditions may look different for each woman — and each pregnancy. For some, an assisted home birth or birth center with physician transfer backup feels the most supportive. And for others, the hospital provides that feeling.”
Mimi Niles, a midwife and PhD candidate at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, says that a mother’s whole well-being is being overlooked in the home birth conversation.
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