A growing number of women in the U.S. are opting to give birth at home. But when issues arise during labor that require a transfer to a hospital, the process can be plagued with unnecessary challenges — a result of decades of distrust between midwives and doctors that can put mothers and babies at risk.
Midwives said it's not uncommon to call a hospital's labor and delivery unit, only for nurses or doctors to discourage them from coming or dismiss the information they relay. When every second counts, the resulting delay can turn a complicated delivery into a life-threatening one.
"They don't trust that we are giving them clear, accurate information, but I don't know why, because it's all documented. It's not like I'm just somebody that decided to wear a hat and call myself a midwife," said one Iowa midwife.
Hospitals can be hesitant to accept home-birth patients for several reasons, including concerns about legal liability. |
