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Australia’s mothers and babies 2008 is the eighteenth annual report on pregnancy and childbirth in Australia providing national information on women who gave birth and the characteristics and outcomes of their babies. In 2008, 292,156 women gave birth to 296,925 babies in Australia. There were 283,119 babies born in hospitals, 6,460 born in birth centres and 1,000 planned homebirths. There were 2,182 fetal deaths in hospital or birth centre. There were 6 fetal deaths at homebirths. Of babies born at home in 2008, 99.4% were liveborn. There were no maternal deaths at planned homebirths in 2008.
In 2008, 1,000 planned homebirths, representing 0.3% of all women who gave birth, were reported nationally. The highest proportions of homebirths occurred in Western Australia and the Northern Territory (both 0.8%).
It is probable that not all homebirths are reported to the perinatal data collections.
In 2007, 870 planned homebirths, representing 0.3% of all women who gave birth, were reported nationally. There were 2174 fetal deaths in Australian hospitals/birth centres in 2007. There were 3 fetal deaths at home during planned homebirths in 2007. Of babies born at home in 2007, 99.7% were liveborn. There were no maternal deaths at planned homebirths in 2007.
In 2006, 708 planned homebirths, representing 0.2% of all women who gave birth, were reported nationally. There were 2091 fetal deaths in Australian hospitals in 2006. No babies died at home during planned homebirths in 2006. There were no maternal deaths at planned homebirths in 2006.
The mean age of mothers who gave birth at home in 2008 was 31.9 years (Table 3.45). The proportion of mothers aged less than 20 years was 0.5%, and the proportion aged 35 years and over was 30.5%. The proportion of mothers who gave birth at home who identified as
being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin was 0.4%. The largest proportion of women who had a homebirth lived in major cities (62.5%) (Table 3.45).
Of mothers who gave birth at home, one-quarter had their first baby (25.5%), and 74.3% were multiparous. The method of birth was non-instrumental vaginal for 99.0% of women who gave birth at home (Table 3.45), and the presentation was vertex for 97.9% of women who gave birth at home.
Of babies born at home in 2008, 99.4% were liveborn. The mean birthweight of these liveborn babies was 3,700 grams (Table 3.45). The proportion of liveborn babies of low birthweight born at home was 0.4%, and the proportion of babies born at home that were preterm was 1.0%.
Source: Australia’s Mothers & Babies Report 2008 available online here –
http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442472399
After one attempted Home birth and two successful ones in our family, having children welcomed into the world in your own peaceful environment with no intervention in the natural process, nothing beats a home birth and the nurturing ongoing support of a dedicated midwife and the lasting relationship with them that comes from sharing such an intimate and momentous moment.
And of course the food is better too!