Oct 14, 2025 - Health
Ohio home births are on the rise
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The rate of home births in Ohio keeps climbing years after the pandemic surge.
Why it matters: The trend reflects a growing distrust of the traditional medical system and demand for more personalized maternity care.
By the numbers: 1.8% of live births in Ohio happened at home in 2023, up from nearly 1.2% in 2019.
Reality check: Safety data on U.S. home births is limited.
- Some studies suggest that giving birth at home is associated with an increased risk of perinatal and neonatal death, but data collection problems may exist.
If you only consider low-risk patients who are attended by qualified providers and have clear hospital transfer plans in case of emergency, home births have comparable outcomes to those in birth centers, 2024 research suggests.