With the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 worldwide, more and more hospitals are starting to focus on different measures to combat infections, manage patients and control the situation overall. These changes have swayed the foreplans of most people, especially women who will be giving birth in the next few months. Women can no longer specifically request for doulas or attend birthing classes as they please.

As days go by, reports of newborns testing positive for the coronavirus keep surfacing in the news, and expectant mothers start to fear for their health as well as their baby’s. The ongoing assessment of the COVID-19 situation may pave ways for patients to give birth in a hospital setting safely, but families fear that there won’t be enough time to adjust and adapt to the new environment, which is why women start asking themselves: “Is a home birth the better option?”

Is Homebirth The Answer?

As with every decision, before you finalize everything, it’s best to obtain facts and information surrounding the topic. Also, consider the well-being of the women involved. For example, home birth is an optimal choice for patients who have no severe illnesses or are currently experiencing a low-risk pregnancy. On the other hand, those who have complications or cannot bear painful procedures should not consider a home birth.

According to a study released by McMaster University, the researchers reported the risk of death in a newborn until its fourth week in both hospital and home birth settings. Results showed that there are no significant differences in the risks between the two.

Also, choosing home birth lessens the risks of having excessive bleeding, lacerations and infections.

Take note that the information, as mentioned earlier, applies to a non-COVID-19 setup. Between the two options that you have, a hospital setting may be the safest plan for you. While some may disagree with the thought of giving birth in a hospital nowadays, consider that you don’t have a lot of options, to begin with, too.

You may opt to spend most of the labor time at home and only go to the hospital when you’re ready to deliver the baby, or you can request from your doctor an early discharge so that you can start healing and staying safe at home. Overall, the safety of both the mother and the baby is what matters the most.

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