Is homebirth Safe?

Safety has been held up as the reason why all women should give birth in the hospital. This is despite the fact that no data support the contention that homebirth holds any excess risk provided:

the mother is low risk
the homebirth is planned
she has a trained, experienced birth attendant
there is a modern hospital within a reasonable distance

Choosing the place that is safest and most comfortable for you and your baby is a very personal decision. The best way to assure that your choice is informed is to learn as much as possible, ask questions when you interview midwives and doctors and be sure to seek out actual scientifically based evidence to make an informed decision.
Here are some resources:
websites:
Midwives Alliance of North America http://www.mana.org
American College of Nurse-Midwives http://www.midwife.org
Midwifery Today Magazine http://www.midwiferytoday.com

films:
The Business of Being Born
Pregnant in America
Birth in the Squatting Position

books:
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
Ina May's guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin CPM
Born in the USA:How a Borken Maternity System Must Be Fixed to Put Women and Children First by Marsden Wagner MD

A compilation of birth research can be found at:
http://www.hencigoer.com

http://chetday.com/homebirthresearch.htm