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Home or Hospital? Is there a 'best' birthing option?

By Caroline Homer

Everyone has a birth story, whether it is one of anguish or one of elation, whether it took place at home with minimal intervention, or in a hospital operating theatre. In this public lecture, one of ten in the 2012 UTSpeaks series, Professor Caroline Homer explores the history of birth and the debate that rages today in regards to the importance of birth place and practices, women’s rights to choose, and the politics that drive public policy.

Challenging common misconceptions, political rhetoric and misquoted research, Professor Caroline Homer discusses the homebirth/hospital birth divide, how we arrived here, and the fundamental principles of equitable and supportive care. How compromise could be achieved between midwifery and obstetric care, and countries which have succeeded in doing so, is also discussed. Please enjoy this educational, engaging and thought provoking lecture.

Caroline Homer is the Professor of Midwifery and the Director of the Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health at the University of Technology Sydney. Her research and clinical interests are focused on ways to improve outcomes for mothers and babies, including models of maternity care, place of birth, obesity in pregnancy, birth unit design and the maternity workforce.