Choosing Where to Give Birth

Where your baby will be born is a matter of utmost importance. Hospital, home, or birth center—sit down with your partner and have a cup of pregnancy tea as you discuss the options available to you.

Your first step should be choosing a provider since this will have an impact about where you decide to give birth. Doctors always attend hospital births and if they are available, licensed nurse midwives also attend. Licensed midwives, also called Certified Professional Midwives, attend births in homes and freestanding birth centers.

If you want to give birth at home, do your homework and think about what is most important to you. Ask potential providers if they offer a consultation appointment to see if they are the best fit for your needs. Find out if you would be given informed choices during your care or if they expect you to follow their standard protocols. If the provider you are considering does not offer a consultation appointment you may be able to research their publications on a webpage or ask peers who have used the provider to find these answers.

An Awe-inspiring Home Birth, © 2021 Haley Muri, used with permission, Paint With Light Photography.

Questions and answers to consider

Does the provider acknowledge the rights of childbearing families?

According to The White Ribbon Alliance , a global grassroots organization advocating for women’s health and rights, “Women and newborns can both be marginalized in the process of childbirth and the ensuing months. Preventing maternal and newborn deaths and disability is not enough. Care during this period must adhere to basic human rights, including the rights to respect, dignity, confidentiality, information and informed consent; the right to the highest attainable standard of health, and freedom from discrimination and from all forms of ill-treatment. Together, the woman with her partner and family should be supported to care for and make the best decisions for their newborn.” Does the care provider you are considering recognize the problem and actively seek to support these ideals?

What about the cost?

For many families a prime question is, “Where can I afford to give birth?” Costs vary across geographical areas, even in the North State. Your financial investment may be significant even if you have a private insurance plan.

While most providers will accept most insurance plans for some or all of the costs, some require you to pay some or all of the costs up front, leaving you to file the insurance claim later. Each provider or hospital will have different costs and each insurance plan will have limits on how much they will pay. Also, doctors and midwives bill separately from any birth center. Check with your insurance provider to see if they cover home birth or the locations you are considering. Sometimes the cost of paying a midwife directly will be less than paying the deductible for your plan if you give birth at the hospital.

What about your health care team?

Choosing a medical care provider includes choosing the team of professionals they depend upon. Will your provider attend the birth of your baby themselves or will there be a team of providers on-call? If your provider plans to personally attend your birth, what happens if they are not available?
Will you be given a chance to meet the team? Does the team include doctors in training, student nurses or student midwives? Remember your rights are of utmost importance. Wherever you choose to give birth I recommend that you read “The Rights of Childbearing Women” from the Childbirth Connection at http://www.childbirthconnection.org/rights.