We often forget that all birth used to take place at home until it moved into hospital in the mid-20th century, as the medical-model of birth took over and it became more obstetric-led. But what might surprise you is that hospitals are not the safest place for all births and simply planning a hospital birth gives you an increased likelihood of unnecessary intervention. So what are your options for place of birth and how safe are each of them?
Broadly speaking, there are 3 places where most people give birth:
