Research Articles

New research articles are published on an on-going basis.  A comprehensive source of quality research articles and reviews can be found at www.childbirthconnection.org. Among the wealth of information there are reviews include evidence regarding choice of provider:

• Choosing a Provider
• And place of birth

An excellent one page summary of the evidence for midwives and out of hospital birth is The Evidence Basis for the 10 Steps of the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative:

•  Download PDF

CPMs provide the majority of home birth care in the US. The largest prospective study of home birth in North American focuses primarily on CPMs and demonstrates the safety of home birth:

•  Download PDF 
• Click here for the entire study
  

The Cochrane database provides a comprehensive systematic review of midwife-led care.  

Opponents of home birth often cite a flawed study published in 2002. Henci Goer author of The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Childbirth, wrote a compelling critique addressing the problems with the methodology of the study.