it does suggest to me (and many other parents I have had this exact conversation with) that the stats seem to be slightly stacked when referring to homebirths. After all, these are the same births that would more than likely have gone to plan in hospital as well.
To my mind, the fact that homebirth stats don't usually include high-risk births is what makes them reassuring. It means that private midwives are providing excellent care by referring women with complications to hospital where these can be closely monitored. For example, in my area, one of the homebirth midwives is not experienced in vaginal breech birth, so she refers women on, rather than take any risks with her lack of experience. I don't think it's a given that successful homebirths would have gone to plan in hospital either. That would depend on alot of factors, including the personal views of the midwife assigned to care for the woman. Some are more medically minded than others and push interventions.

I feel very strongly that birth is a natural event, best left to run its course and not be interfered with unless medically indicated. I think that advances in obstetric care save lives often. I also think that obstetrics has treated women with the utmost contempt in the last century and that we are still trying to claw our way back from that. How many women are still told today that they must birth on their backs on a bed or not encouraged to do otherwise?

The fear around birth in western society is so detrimental to us. We think that we can't give birth without pain relief and we choose to have major abdominal surgery rather than experience natural childbirth, often because of the horror stories we hear from our mothers and grandmothers - the survivors of appalling care. I accept that women have the right to choose how their baby is born, however I think the fact that some women choose surgery out of fear or even vanity speaks volumes about our cultural attitudes to birthing women. I also accept that women have the right to opt for pain relief, but I hear so many women say that they "don't know if they will cope with labour" and I believe that the medicalisation of birth is responsible for that. 100 years ago there would be no question - women had to cope with labour drug-free, and they did. Why don't we think we can?

I would like to qualify this whole rant by emphasizing that I am NOT criticising ANYONE who chooses a medically unnecessary caesarean or drugs during labour. I had an epidural during my first labour. I guess I am really criticising obstetrics for driving the fear into us - that our bodies will fail us and that we aren't strong enough.

I could probably go on for ages - but I'll stop now. Apologies for the rant.

Rgds,
C

PS Love this thread!