Medicine: Childbirth at Home as Safe as Hospital Delivery

For LOW RISK pregnancies, that is.

"The data we have so far suggests that over-medicalizing the process of labor and delivery adds cost without improving outcomes," said Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center and an associate clinical professor of epidemiology and public health at Yale University School of Medicine.

Of course, for OB/GYNs who have seen uncomplicated pregnancies turn into life or death situations at the drop of a hat, no statistical analysis will be convincing. The article notes that most births in Canada and Europe still occur by midwife, and by the numbers, a properly screened pregnancy could likely take place at home with minimal increased risk.