This was a study done in 2000 on 5418 home births done by Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) in the United States and Canada.  The conclusion of the study was that planned home birth for low-risk women in North America using certified professional midwives was associated with lower rates of medical intervention but similar intrapartum and neonatal mortality to that of low-risk hospital births in the United States.

In other words, the study shows that — if you aren't a high risk Mom carrying twins, having a premature baby or baby coming bottom first, all of which can be judged ahead of time — your chance of having a healthy normal safe delivery is the same whether you plan a home or hospital birth.  However, if you choose the home birth your intervention rates will be a tenth to a half of what they would be in hospital, compared to figures of the same time period from the National Health Institute of the US.

The study was published in the June 18, 2005 issue of the British Medical Journal.  Click here to read more.