Many pregnant women who want to give birth at home. There are many reasons, for example because it is more comfortable and does not need to bother going to the hospital or the maternity hospital, to the desire to go through labor while surrounded by family. However, is giving birth at home quite safe?
If the condition of the mother and baby is healthy, labor can actually be done at home, although it is better done in a complete medical facility. However, although it is better to give birth in a medical facility, there are some hospitals or maternity centers that limit or even not give permission to family members to accompany pregnant women during labor.
It is actually intended that the family does not interfere with the doctor or midwife when trying to help the mother and baby during the birth process. However, these restrictions actually become one of the considerations of most pregnant women to give birth at home.
Is it Safe to Give Birth at Home?
A number of studies abroad show that giving birth at home is as safe as giving birth in a hospital, especially if pregnant women and babies are at low risk of experiencing childbirth complications.
However, there is no research in the country that can ensure that childbirth at home is safe to do. In addition, it should be remembered that during labor the mother must always be accompanied by a midwife or doctor.
This is because it is possible that during labor a pregnant woman requires certain medical treatments, such as induction, episiotomy, or even cesarean section.
Apart from the reason for the need for certain medical treatment, the distance between the house and the hospital or maternity hospital must be close enough. The reason is that when labor does not go smoothly, the mother can be immediately referred to the hospital. Therefore, doctors and midwives prefer to encourage mothers to give birth in hospitals.
Some Requirements for Childbirth at Home
Not all pregnant women can give birth at home. There are a number of things that need to be fulfilled so that you can safely deliver at home. Here are some of the conditions:
1. Good health
Mothers can give birth at home if the pregnancy is normal and not at risk. This can be known by routine pregnancy checks to the obstetrician or midwife.
If you have certain conditions or complications that risk causing disrupted labor, the mother should give birth in the hospital. Some things that make a pregnant woman not recommended to give birth at home, namely:
- Having had a cesarean section in labor before.
- Twin Pregnant.
- Fetal distress.
- Premature births, namely births with a womb of less than 37 weeks.
- Posmatur pregnancy, which is more than 41-42 weeks' gestation, but the fetus is not yet born.
- Breech baby position.
- Having certain health problems during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or amniotic infection during pregnancy.
If you have one of the conditions above, then the choice to give birth at home is certainly not recommended. This is because some of the conditions above require special treatment that must be done by obstetricians in the hospital.
2. Not the first time giving birth
If you are undergoing pregnancy for the first time, you are encouraged to undergo labor in a health facility, such as a maternity clinic, health center, or hospital. This is done to avoid risks that can endanger your condition and the baby.
However, for the second and subsequent child pregnancies, as long as your condition and the fetus are in a healthy uterus, it is okay to give birth at home, as long as there is a midwife or doctor who helps with childbirth.
3. Childbirth is helped by a midwife or doctor
Ensure that deliveries at home are handled by obstetricians or midwives who have official practice licenses and good competence. If you choose to be assisted by a midwife, the midwife must be connected to the obstetrician and the nearest hospital for emergencies.
During labor, the midwife or doctor will periodically check the baby's pulse, body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. After delivery, the condition of the mother and baby will be examined carefully. If the mother or newborn needs medical treatment, the doctor or midwife will refer to the hospital.
Even if you decide to give birth with the help of a midwife, you should still consult about the choice of giving birth at home with your obstetrician.
4. Adequate facilities and shelter
Consult with your doctor about what needs to be prepared for labor at home. In addition, make sure the midwife carries the equipment needed to carry out emergency measures, such as oxygen, infusion, and medication supplies to stop postpartum bleeding.
Before approaching the estimated birth day (HPL), midwives will usually assess whether your home is suitable as a place of birth, starting from the aspect of cleanliness of the house and the surrounding environment, and whether the house has access or is close to the nearest hospital.
5. Access to the hospital for emergencies
In addition to the short distance, also think about the availability of transportation to take you from home to hospital. In addition, the ideal distance and travel time from home to hospital is recommended not more than 15 minutes. The faster the travel time, the faster the handling can be done.
Conditions that must be referred to the hospital
The labor process is indeed unpredictable. Labor that initially went well, could suddenly experience problems. Some obstacles during childbirth that require labor in hospital, include:
- Fetal distress, for example due to the umbilical cord twist.
- Prolonged labor or no progress.
- Problems with the placenta, for example, placenta previa or the placenta is pulled out of the uterine wall before the baby is successfully born (abruptio placenta).
- Amniotic fluid is foul smelling or festering (amniotic fluid infected with bacteria).
- After delivery, the placenta does not come out or come out intact.
- The fetus swallows meconium or its own fists.
- Babies are at risk of being born with severe breathing problems or have Apgar values.
In Indonesia, childbirth is encouraged to be carried out in adequate health facilities.
However, giving birth at home is still an option for pregnant women who live in remote areas. Geographical conditions and limited access to puskesmas or hospitals, it makes it easier for them to give birth at home with the help of competent midwives.
However, not all pregnant women can choose to give birth at home. It takes a lot of preparation, knowledge about pregnancy, and physical and mental readiness for labor at home.
It should be noted that the government still encourages pregnant women to give birth in adequate health facilities. This is done so that the delivery process can run safely.
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