Comment & Controversy

Skill of attendant is critical in home birth

“DOES HOME BIRTH EMPOWER WOMEN, OR IMPERIL THEM AND THEIR BABIES?” ERIN E. TRACY, MD, MPH (AUGUST)

I appreciated Dr. Tracy’s comprehensive article on home birth. As someone who has attended many home births in a rural situation, I agree that the training, skill, and experience of the attendant are the most important variables. Because the selection of patients for home birth is dependent on the attendant’s experience in obstetrics, the so-called Certified Professional Midwife classification should be eliminated and only well-trained Certified Nurse Midwives should be allowed to attend home births.