Women Giving Birth at Home Without Midwives

This photo taken Nov. 11, 2009 shows Jennifer Margulis and husband James di Properzio gazing at...

This photo taken Nov. 11, 2009 shows Jennifer Margulis and husband James di Properzio gazing at their newest daughter, Leone Francesca, at their home in Ashland, Ore. When Margulis went into labor, there was no rushing to the hospital, no midwife, no EMTs called to a taxi cab. Just Margulis and her husband, home alone, giving birth. Nationwide, 90 percent of births still take place in hospitals with doctors, but it appears an increasing number of women are having what is becoming known as a free birth without trained medical help. (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard)

(AP)

When Jennifer Margulis went into labor with her fourth child, she sent her husband off to take the kids to school, then waited at home for her body to do what she felt confident it had evolved over millions of years to do on its own.

There was no rushing to the hospital, no midwife, no EMTs. Just Jennifer and her husband, home alone, giving birth.

"I think a lot of people think a woman who would want to have an unassisted birth would be a little bit crazy," said Margulis, who holds a Ph.D. in literature, and is a contributing editor for Mothering Magazine. "I think I may have had that reaction as well. I am definitely not a crazy person. I am a very educated, thoughtful and caring person. I am not a person who takes a lot of unnecessary risks. The whole point is it is not risky if you do your homework."

Nationwide, 90 percent of births still take place in hospitals with doctors attending, said Oregon State University medical anthropologist and midwife Melissa Cheney. Another 8 to 10 percent are with midwives in hospitals or birthing centers. And 1 to 2 percent are at home.

The numbers of at-home births that are unattended are impossible to track, Cheney said.

But Internet traffic and books on the subject indicate more women are choosing to take control with what is becoming known as freebirth because they are concerned about the United States' dismal record of maternity care and skyrocketing rate of Cesarean births, now at nearly 32 percent of all births, Cheney said.

"I don't think they are just crazy," said Cheney. "I think they are trying to find a way to work around a system they see as very problematic."

Though the United States spends more money on childbirth than any other nation, it has one of the world's worst records for infant mortality and maternal mortality, said Cheney. The infant mortality rate is nearly 7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ranking the U.S. 30th in the world in 2005.