SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2000
Home versus hospital birth.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2000. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Planned hospital birth versus planned home birth.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2012Pooled it
- Alternative versus conventional institutional settings for birth.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2012Pooled it
- Comparison of midwife-led and consultant-led care of healthy women at low risk of childbirth complications in the Republic of Ireland: a randomised trial.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2011Trial
- Adverse Outcomes in Neonates Following Planned Home Births: A Case Report Series and a Narrative Literature Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Planned hospital birth compared with planned home birth for pregnant women at low risk of complications.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Review
- Article
- Duration and urgency of transfer in births planned at home and in freestanding midwifery units in England: secondary analysis of the birthplace national prospective cohort study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2013Article
- The safety of home birth: is the evidence good enough?CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2009Article
- Outcomes for births booked under an independent midwife and births in NHS maternity units: matched comparison study.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2009Article
- Home birth: the wave of the future?The Journal of perinatal education · 2006Article
- UK childbirth delivery options in 2001-2002: alternatives to consultant unit booking and delivery.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2005Article
- The pleasures of home birth?CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2002Article
Corrections and comments
- Updated by
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundA meta-analysis of observational studies have suggested that planned home birth may be safe and with less interventions than planned hospital birth.
objectivesThe objective of this review was to assess the effects of planned home birth compared to hospital birth on the rates of interventions, complications and morbidity as determined in randomised trials. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. Date of last search: September 1999. SELECTION CRITERIA: Controlled trials comparing planned hospital birth to planned home birth in selected women, assisted by an experienced home birth practitioner, and backed up by a modern hospital system in case transfer should be necessary. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Trial quality was assessed and data were extracted by one reviewer and checked by the other reviewer. Study authors were contacted for additional information. MAIN
resultsOne study involving 11 women was included. The trial was of reasonable quality, but was too small to be able to draw conclusions. REVIEWER'S
conclusionsThere is no strong evidence to favour either planned hospital birth or planned home birth for low risk pregnant women.
Indexed as
Identifiers
10796198What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.