More Babies Prefer Home Birth

The decision to Home Birth should never be about money, whether that is an attempt to save money, or a decision against a home birth solely based on its cost.  That said, cost is always a consideration.

Many women believe that since their insurance provider does not cover out-of-hospital birth, that they cannot afford it.  For many women, perhaps the majority of women, this could not be further from the truth.

The math goes something like this: most insurance plans pay between 70-80% of the cost of a hospital birth.  A basic uncomplicated hospital birth averages around $7600.  If your insurance covers 70-80%, your out-of-pocket amount will run between $1520-2280.  If you experience complications during your birth or postpartum period, that amount can increase rapidly.

The average midwife’s fees are comparable to the out-of-pocket expense of a hospital birth, with many midwives offering discounts for full payment of fees before the birth.  Fees vary widely around the country, but averages around $2000-3000.

Some doctors still attend births at home.  These are almost always family practice doctors.  By avoiding hospital fees, your costs for a physician-attended birth at home will be less than a hospital birth.

If you are inclined to take full responsibility for your birth and the outcome, an unassisted birth at home is the least expensive of all options.  There may be expenses incurred for birth supplies, education to prepare to recognize complications which require experienced assistance, and the cost of prenatal care.

As surprising as it may sound, even if your insurance provider does not cover home birth, you can still afford one, as these figures prove.  Cost should not be a deciding factor for or against home birth.  Other factors such as comfortability, safety, and risk-status are far more important.

For a much more detailed cost-effectiveness analysis, see this research. (Note: this is a Word document.)