Although they make up a small portion of the total births in the United States, deliveries that take place out of the hospital are on the rise. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found planned out-of-hospital births are associated with a higher risk of perinatal death than planned in-hospital births.
The population-based, retrospective cohort study included all births that occurred in Oregon during 2012 and 2013. The study revealed 39 out of every 10,000 deliveries conducted at home or at a freestanding birth center resulted in perinatal death, compared to 18 per 10,000 conducted at a hospital.
Additionally, the risk of neonatal seizure was higher with out-of-hospital delivery than in-hospital delivery.
Ultimately, the absolute risk of perinatal death was low in both settings.
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