Friends of mine did this. Jacqueline, the mom, died in childbirth.
The doctors told her husband, James, that if she had been at a doctor’s her life and their babies life could have been easily saved.
Seems to me that it was almost tantamount to murder...
Ed
I had a home birth and my baby’s Apgar scores were very high. I think being five minutes away from a major medical center gave me confidence. American home birth is safe. Besides, it’s almost the only way to have a vaginal birth—so many of hospital-birth friends delivered their babies by unplanned c-section. My now 16-year old daughter confirms that her three best friends were all c-section babies. Come on, there are good home birth practitioners out there and emergency transport is always part of the birth plan. I personally know of no maternal or neonatal deaths in home births in my city, where the practice is popular. Even if you plan a hospital birth, you should study home birth to know your options during labor and delivery. It’s a fascinating subject area.