Being born at home was the norm, not the safest choice; Here's why hospitals are safer

For a while now, Kerala has been making headlines on women opting to deliver babies at home, rather than in hospitals. While some quote baseless beliefs as their reasons, others claim to be experts in various medicinal disciplines, which apparently encourages home births. In the most recent incident in Malappuram, four small children lost their mother when the woman died during home delivery in a cramped room, giving scant regard to specialist doctors and advancements in medical science. No one would forget the nonchalant husband who chillingly explained how he cut the umbilical cord with a double-edge shaving blade during his wife’s home birth a few weeks ago, only to complain later on not being able to procure a birth certificate.  

Is childbirth so simple? Is it possible to deliver a baby by watching related videos on YouTube or social media? Of course not is the affirmative answer. Dr Marie Simon, gynaecologist of Amrita Urban Health Center, talks about the complications associated with childbirth.
Hospital a safe place to give birth 
Without a doubt, a hospital is the safest place to give birth to a baby as it is well-equipped to ensure maternal and child health. Quite obviously, the place where a woman delivers a baby should be thoroughly sanitized, otherwise both the mother and child are at a higher risk of infection, which can be life-threatening. The labour suite should be as clean and disinfected as an operation theatre. The medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and other staff, who wear sterilized hospital gowns while entering the labour suite, ensure the facility is properly sanitized, says Dr Marie. 

Another important factor is that people who help deliver babies in hospitals are properly trained. People may say that in olden days, childbirth was usually at home and someone would help in the delivery, so what’s the big deal now? Besides delivering the baby, the person helping in the delivery should be competent enough to handle the health issues that may arise in the mother and newborn baby. For example, immediate medical attention should be given if the baby’s heart rate is low. And a hospital can provide swift treatment to the mother if she has a breathing problem, fluctuation in blood pressure, or bleeding. But a home birth is riddled with risks as there are no medical facilities and trained hands at one’s disposal, she adds. 

Risks galore 
A doctor who had been keeping track of a woman’s pregnancy right from the beginning could have a fair idea of the kind of complications that can creep in during delivery. But all the risks can’t be foreseen. Women with high blood pressure and high blood sugar, twin pregnancy and bad foetal position can have high-risk pregnancies. High-risk pregnancies can increase the chances of complications during labour, and only well-trained doctors can overcome these challenges. It may be noted that women who didn’t have any difficulty during pregnancy can develop problems while delivering the baby. 

Sometimes the placenta isn’t delivered even after the baby is born, and in such a situation, the placenta has to be taken out after administering anesthesia to the mother. And requisite treatment has to be provided if there is heavy bleeding during childbirth. Swift action is needed to ensure the health of both mother and baby, Dr Maria notes. 

A couple recently told the media about how the woman delivered a baby at home. A double-edged blade was bought from a shop to cut the umbilical cord, and the couple was mentioning it in a casual manner, unaware of the risks involved. In such cases, the chances of infection are very high and proper medical treatment is necessary if there is an infection. 

The umbilical cord should not only be cut but also tied properly. Otherwise, there will be excessive bleeding. Cleanliness is paramount for that process, too. And here’s where expert doctors and hospitals with modern facilities come into picture. Kerala’s medical infrastructure and treatment are much better than those in foreign countries, and childbirth is given proper importance and care in the state, she adds. 

The 'home births of the past' excuse
Those who say that women gave birth to five to six children at home in the old days should remember that the number of women who died during childbirth was also high. But now the situation is different, as the maternal mortality is low in the state. And that’s why home delivery cannot be accepted in any way. Science has advanced in leaps and bounds, and can’t understand why some people are putting the lives of mothers and babies at stake, Dr Maria concludes.