Why Home Birth

Statistics

Sometimes, it’s nice to know the numbers, and statistics are something we are often asked about. How statistics are recorded, and where the information comes from is critical. At present in New Zealand, there is no holistic approach that captures planned home birth statistics. The Ministry of Health figures are not very detailed and do not distinguish between planned and unplanned home birth or the outcomes for transfers. On the other hand, the Midwifery and Maternity Partners Organisation reports (last report was 2016) provided more comprehensive information. However, the data was only collected from midwives who were members of the New Zealand College of midwives, so not all midwives or mothers were included in this database.

The Maternity Consumer Survey of 2011 found:

Women most likely to be ‘very satisfied’ overall, were those who had a planned home birth (78%)
Women who had a planned home birth were significantly more satisfied with the birth itself, with nine in ten (90%) ‘very satisfied’ with the care they received
Women who planned to have a home birth were more likely to be satisfied with the quality of information (97% rating ‘very satisfied’ or ‘quite satisfied’)
90% of women who had a home birth were ‘very satisfied’ with individual aspects of care received during their home birth – this includes aspects such as having their choices respected by their LMC and the expertise available immediately after the birth.
Women who gave birth at home received more postnatal home visits and were more satisfied with their home visits.

The Midwifery and Maternity Partners Organisation Annual Report of 2011 shows::

4.9 % of babies were born at home.
The percentage increases for women having their second or subsequent child (6.7%)
Home birth babies had the highest number of ‘excellent’ (score of 9 or 10) Apgar scores of all birth place types (97%)
Transfer rates to neonatal care from home were 2.1%, just slightly lower than the transfer rate from primary birthing centres at 2.2.%
Babies born at home had the highest exclusive breastfeeding rate at 87%
Number and rate of perinatal related deaths by status at birth and birth place

The New Zealand College of Midwives indicate that the rate of Home Births in New Zealand appears to be on the increase. The overall rate of home birth in New Zealand sits somewhere in the vicinity of 3-5% of all recorded births (3.37% the latest figure from the Ministry of Health in 2012, and 4.9% latest figure from Midwifery and Maternity Partners Organisation in 2011). It is apparent that in some areas, where there is good local support from Home Birth associations and midwives, the rate is much higher such a 12.5% rate reported on the West Coast of the South Island in 2011.

Other notable benefits of Home Birth:

28.2 % of women used water immersion for pain management during labour and 7.1 % of babies were born in water.
Women who had active management of the third stage of labour experienced greater blood loss (more than 500mls) than those who had a physiological pathway for the third stage (9.7 %, versus 5.5 %).

Figures from Te Whatu Ora ‘Report on Maternity’ In 2020 shows:

In NZ, the caesarean section rates have increased over the years, to 29.75% of all births in 2020, the highest ever recorded. The distribution of birth types has changed from 2008 to 2020, there has been a statistically significant decrease in the proportion of women having a spontaneous vaginal birth (from 68.0% to 58.3%). There was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of assisted births (from 8.4% to 9.6%) and caesarean sections (from 23.6% to 29.8%).

Our tables use data collected and reported by Te Whatu Ora, Report on maternity web tool

Percentage of women giving birth based on place of birth in New Zealand, 2011 to 2020

NEW ZEALAND
	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Home	3.3	3.1	3.4	3.3	3.6	3.5	3.4	3.6	3.5	4.6
Primary Facility	10.1	9.7	9.1	9.1	9.9	9.7	10.0	10.5	10.6	9.7
Secondary Facility	40.9	40.9	41.3	41.0	40.5	41.0	41.0	40.5	40.4	40.3
Tertiary Facility	45.7	46.2	46.2	46.6	46.0	45.8	45.6	45.4	45.5	45.4

Percentage of women giving birth based on place of birth in New Zealand, 2011 to 2020

NORTHLANDXX
Home	6.4	7.6	6.8	7.5	9.0	7.9	7.7	8.3	7.7	9.4
Primary Facility	18.1	19.7	19.1	18.7	19.6	17.2	18.7	17.9	16.9	16.0
Secondary Facility	73.7	70.8	71.9	71.5	69.1	72.6	72.0	72.4	73.3	72.9
Tertiary Facility	1.9	1.9	2.2	2.2	2.3	2.3	1.6	1.4	2.1	1.7

WAITEMATAIXX
Home	2.4	2.7	2.6	2.5	3.1	2.7	3.1	3.0	2.8	4.1
Primary Facility	3.6	3.2	3.1	3.0	2.9	3.1	3.3	3.6	3.0	3.8
Secondary Facility	78.2	79.7	80.4	80.7	80.8	80.2	80.4	80.2	81.2	79.3
Tertiary Facility	15.7	14.4	13.8	13.8	13.2	14.0	13.1	13.3	12.9	12.8

COUNTIESIMANUKAU
Home	1.3	0.9	1.1	1.2	1.4	1.4	1.1	1.3	1.2	1.2
Primary Facility	13.7	13.2	12.6	11.1	11.0	10.6	10.2	9.6	9.0	9.4
Secondary Facility	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.8
Tertiary Facility	84.4	85.2	85.5	86.9	86.9	87.1	87.8	88.3	88.9	88.5

WAIKATOXIXX
Home	3.5	3.4	3.6	3.8	3.7	3.9	3.7	3.4	3.6	4.8
Primary Facility	31.5	31.3	29.6	28.0	27.8	28.6	28.1	25.1	26.1	24.1
Secondary Facility	2.5	1.9	1.6	1.9	1.4	1.5	1.7	2.6	1.9	1.9
Tertiary Facility	62.6	63.5	65.2	66.2	67.1	65.9	66.6	68.9	68.5	69.3

LAKESXXXJXX
Home	2.9	3.0	3.2	2.6	3.0	2.9	3.6	3.6	4.3	5.5
Primary Facility	12.6	11.0	11.7	10.5	13.6	12.0	13.3	14.0	14.3	11.9
Secondary Facility	82.2	83.2	82.6	84.2	80.2	82.2	80.2	79.8	78.3	79.5
Tertiary Facility	2.4	2.8	2.5	2.6	3.1	2.9	2.9	2.6	3.1	3.2

BAYJofJPLENTY
Home	5.0	4.3	5.6	4.7	4.4	4.6	2.8	3.5	3.1	5.1
Primary Facility	3.0	3.5	2.4	3.9	12.0	13.1	13.4	15.1	14.7	13.1
Secondary Facility	90.5	90.3	90.2	90.0	82.4	80.7	81.9	80.0	80.1	80.2
Tertiary Facility	1.5	1.9	1.7	1.4	1.2	1.6	1.9	1.4	2.0	1.7

TAIRAWHITIX
Home	3.4	3.6	4.3	3.9	3.3	2.8	2.9	1.7	3.2	3.1
Primary Facility	3.3	1.9	1.7	3.9	3.7	5.2	3.2	1.2	3.1	2.4
Secondary Facility	91.8	92.6	92.7	91.1	91.2	90.6	92.1	95.1	91.4	91.8
Tertiary Facility	1.5	1.8	1.3	1.0	1.8	1.4	1.9	2.0	2.2	2.7

HAWKESXBAY
Home	2.2	2.0	2.5	3.1	4.1	3.7	3.6	3.7	3.8	6.5
Primary Facility	2.4	1.3	1.6	1.6	2.2	2.3	2.6	3.2	2.1	2.0
Secondary Facility	94.1	95.3	94.4	94.4	93.0	93.3	92.4	92.1	93.4	90.5
Tertiary Facility	1.3	1.4	1.5	0.8	0.7	0.7	1.5	1.0	0.7	1.0

TARANAKIXJJJ
Home	3.2	2.8	3.4	3.7	3.8	4.1	3.5	4.6	4.7	6.5
Primary Facility	12.1	11.7	9.1	8.8	5.8	7.0	5.9	6.6	4.3	5.0
Secondary Facility	84.1	84.5	86.4	86.2	89.6	87.8	89.5	87.7	89.6	87.1
Tertiary Facility	0.5	1.0	1.1	1.3	0.7	1.2	1.1	1.0	1.5	1.4

WHANGANUI
Home	2.7	3.5	2.6	2.6	4.0	4.0	2.5	3.2	3.8	3.6
Primary Facility	5.2	5.1	5.0	6.8	5.3	4.7	4.1	3.1	5.2	2.7
Secondary Facility	90.1	89.3	91.3	88.8	88.8	90.0	91.8	91.5	89.4	91.9
Tertiary Facility	1.9	2.2	1.1	1.8	2.0	1.3	1.7	2.1	1.6	1.8

MIDCENTRAL
Home	4.9	4.8	4.5	4.9	3.8	3.9	3.6	2.7	1.9	3.6
Primary Facility	8.6	7.5	7.1	7.8	8.2	7.9	8.1	19.9	21.2	10.0
Secondary Facility	84.1	85.2	85.1	84.7	85.4	85.4	84.7	74.0	72.8	83.0
Tertiary Facility	2.4	2.5	3.2	2.6	2.6	2.7	3.5	3.3	4.1	3.4

WAIRARAPAXJ
Home	4.4	2.4	4.2	4.9	5.4	7.0	5.6	6.9	4.9	6.9
Primary Facility	0.2	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.4	0.2	1.2	0.8	0.2
Secondary Facility	90.5	92.5	91.1	89.0	89.8	88.0	90.2	85.5	87.5	87.4
Tertiary Facility	4.9	5.0	4.6	6.0	4.6	4.6	4.0	6.5	6.8	5.6

HUTTXVALLEY
Home	3.0	2.5	3.2	2.8	3.1	2.2	2.6	1.7	1.5	1.8
Primary Facility	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.4	4.7	9.3	8.2
Secondary Facility	89.8	91.3	90.3	90.5	89.5	90.8	89.3	84.5	81.6	79.1
Tertiary Facility	7.1	5.9	6.4	6.6	7.2	6.8	7.7	9.1	7.6	10.9

WELLINGTON
Home	3.3	3.5	4.1	2.7	3.3	2.9	2.6	3.1	3.4	3.6
Primary Facility	9.4	10.1	8.1	8.7	8.5	8.5	10.0	9.6	9.9	8.9
Secondary Facility	3.6	3.9	3.2	3.4	2.3	2.4	3.1	1.5	1.6	1.3
Tertiary Facility	83.8	82.5	84.6	85.3	85.9	86.2	84.3	85.8	85.1	86.2

NELSON/BLENHEIMVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Home	4.9	6.2	5.2	5.9	5.1	6.3	5.8	6.0	4.6	5.7
Primary Facility	1.9	4.5	3.6	3.5	3.9	2.9	2.1	4.2	3.7	3.9
Secondary Facility	91.2	87.5	89.8	88.6	89.0	89.0	90.3	88.2	89.2	88.9
Tertiary Facility	2.0	1.8	1.5	2.0	2.0	1.8	1.8	1.7	2.5	1.5

WEST COASTVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Home	12.8	13.3	10.9	6.1	13.8	9.2	11.0	7.5	7.3	11.6
Primary Facility	5.2	5.2	2.7	4.6	6.5	8.3	5.6	9.0	5.8	2.7
Secondary Facility	73.6	73.7	74.1	78.6	66.3	73.0	73.0	73.6	74.9	77.1
Tertiary Facility	8.4	7.9	12.3	10.7	13.5	9.5	10.4	9.9	12.0	8.5

CANTERBURYVVVVVVVVVVIVVVVVVVVVVV
Home	4.0	3.4	3.4	4.0	4.0	4.6	4.6	4.9	5.0	5.2
Primary Facility	10.6	9.6	8.4	10.9	13.5	13.4	13.9	15.6	16.0	14.8
Secondary Facility	0.9	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
Tertiary Facility	84.6	86.8	87.8	84.9	82.2	81.8	81.3	79.3	78.8	79.8

SOUTH CANTERBURYVVVVVIVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Home	2.8	1.4	2.2	2.6	3.7	2.3	2.9	4.6	1.9	4.4
Primary Facility	1.4	1.3	0.8	0.3	0.9	0.9	1.0	0.8	0.8	0.3
Secondary Facility	92.6	94.2	92.6	94.1	89.8	92.4	92.7	90.9	94.4	90.5
Tertiary Facility	3.2	3.1	4.4	2.9	5.6	4.3	3.5	3.6	2.9	4.8

SOUTHERNVVNNNNNNNN
Home	3.8	3.0	4.1	2.9	4.1	2.9	3.1	3.6	3.3	4.8
Primary Facility	13.2	11.0	11.6	11.6	12.1	10.9	11.8	11.2	10.6	9.9
Secondary Facility	35.2	34.9	36.0	35.4	35.0	37.0	36.3	35.6	36.2	34.8
Tertiary Facility	47.8	51.1	48.4	50.1	48.8	49.2	48.7	49.7	50.0	50.5

New Zealand

Birth Place	Birth Type	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
All Places	spontaneous vaginal birth	66.63	65.74	64.86	64.02	63.80	62.83	61.26	60.64	59.84	58.24
	assisted birth	0.36	0.32	0.32	0.98	1.51	1.45	1.58	1.66	2.04	2.37
	instrumental vaginal birth	8.65	8.63	8.66	9.14	9.18	9.22	9.33	9.37	8.99	9.63
	caesarean section	24.36	25.31	26.15	25.86	25.51	26.50	27.83	28.33	29.14	29.75

Home	spontaneous vaginal birth	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00

Primary	spontaneous vaginal birth	99.54	99.66	99.68	99.45	98.92	99.44	99.25	99.21	99.17	99.27
	assisted birth	0.11	0.13	0.02	0.38	0.73	0.44	0.63	0.68	0.76	0.58
	instrumental vaginal birth	0.26	0.12	0.25	0.09	0.21	0.07	0.05	0.08	0.05	0.07
	caesarean section	0.08	0.08	0.06	0.08	0.14	0.05	0.07	0.03	0.02	0.07

Secondary	spontaneous vaginal birth	66.35	64.59	64.59	63.25	63.21	61.96	60.7	59.92	58.07	56.26
	assisted birth	0.29	0.33	0.34	0.76	1.35	1.27	1.65	1.76	2.15	2.67
	instrumental vaginal birth	8.11	7.79	7.84	8.33	7.88	8.12	8.17	8.51	8.29	9.27
	caesarean section	25.25	27.28	27.24	27.66	27.57	28.64	29.48	29.81	31.49	31.80

Tertiary	spontaneous vaginal birth	57.16	57.31	55.71	55.21	53.94	53.02	50.59	49.24	49.18	46.98
	assisted birth	0.50	0.37	0.39	1.37	1.94	1.94	1.84	1.94	2.39	2.72
	instrumental vaginal birth	11.62	11.74	11.69	12.26	12.96	12.84	13.10	13.02	12.38	12.99
	caesarean section	30.71	30.59	32.21	31.15	31.16	32.21	34.47	35.80	36.05	37.31

Home Birth

Community Groups

Here at Home Birth Aotearoa Trust, we find it very important to connect expectant mothers who are interested in home birthing to home birth community groups so that they can connect with other home birth whānau to gain support and information surrounding natural home births.

Find a Group