malpractice insurance and home births

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Jolie, BSN

6,375 Posts

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

There has not, in the last 30 years since records have been kept, been a fetal demise as the result of an out of hospital birth. In the event of a hospital transport, the homebirth midwife still carries the statistic.

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Please cite the source of this statistic.

I personally know of a case of a non-nurse midwife in IL who attended the delivery of a stillborn infant who was "stuck" with shoulder dystocia for a prolonged period of time. Help was not summoned until the infant delivered, and could not be resuscitated.

I am not trying to argue that similar tragedies don't occur in hospitals. They do.

I am a proponent of informed parental choice in deliveries (home vs hospital vs birthing center).

But, in order for parents to make an informed choice, they must have access to accurate information. I don't believe this is accurate information.

SmilingBluEyes

20,964 Posts

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I would imagine these statistics and how they are reported will vary by country and state.

Penguinelane

7 Posts

Please cite the source of this statistic.

I personally know of a case of a non-nurse midwife in IL who attended the delivery of a stillborn infant who was "stuck" with shoulder dystocia for a prolonged period of time. Help was not summoned until the infant delivered, and could not be resuscitated.

I am not trying to argue that similar tragedies don't occur in hospitals. They do.

I am a proponent of informed parental choice in deliveries (home vs hospital vs birthing center).

But, in order for parents to make an informed choice, they must have access to accurate information. I don't believe this is accurate information.

Now I see your apparent confusion. I was speaking of my state. Thank you for allowing me to clarify.

The source of the statistic is the President of the New Hamshire Midwifery Council, as she reported to the Commerce Committee in the New Hampshire House of Representatives in Spring 2005.

I am familiar with the case of which you speak. The law pending legislation in Illinois is being named after the baby. The parents are outspoken in favor of the bill, and in favor of out of hospital midwifery.

I read one article about this case in which it was stated the mother was given IM pitocin to speed her labor. The mother later stated that was untrue, and that she was given pit in response to hemmorage. Court documents, not the terribly unreliable media, the journalists contributing to which have little to no backround on the subject, should be drawn upon for the facts of the case.

Jolie, BSN

6,375 Posts

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Thanks for clarifying!

anapurnas

25 Posts

I would also like to know who out there has for homebirths. I would like to know what state you practice in and what the average cost is per year. In my state (Oregon), homebirths attended by CPM/CNMs are legal. It's hard to get a quote from liability insurance companies since I'm still a student. Thanks for your help!

quiltncatch

20 Posts

From what I understand, is required by certain states depending on the certification status and the rules that apply to it. Because each state has different bylaws that govern homebirth midwives, ranging from strictly managed to downright illegal, you would have to ask midwives from each state, as it is individual.

You will always have the midwife that refuses to get insurance even when it is required, and you'll find those that have it when not required.

Another poster said that it is rarely used by midwives, and I think they are right. There is a trust that women and families build with thier midwives so that even when the is an untoward outcome, families almost never sue.

The state does the sueing!:nono:

I hope this helps you with your quest!

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