Home Births in the United States, 1990-2009

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CDC National Center for Health Statistics released a new data brief today on home birth in the United States.

Key findings include:

After a decline from 1990 to 2004, the percentage of U.S. births that occurred at home increased by 29%, from 0.56% of births in 2004 to 0.72% in 2009.

For non-Hispanic white women, home births increased by 36%, from 0.80% in 2004 to 1.09% in 2009. About 1 in every 90 births for non-Hispanic white women is now a home birth. Home births are less common among women of other racial or ethnic groups.

Home births are more common among women aged 35 and over, and among women with several previous children.

Home births have a lower risk profile than hospital births, with fewer births to teenagers or unmarried women, and with fewer preterm, low birthweight, and multiple births.

The percentage of home births in 2009 varied from a low of 0.2% of births in Louisiana and the District of Columbia, to a high of 2.0% in Oregon and 2.6% in Montana.

 

NCHS Data Brief No. 84: Home Births in the United States, 1990–2009

Comments

[MomTFH]

Huh, I would have expected to see that number in Oregon, but who knew about Montana?

[Emily]

I assume free standing birth center births are not counted in home births. Are there numbers for those over the last couple decades as well?