Home Deliveries for Low-Risk Pregnancies Expands Healthcare Choices
In Portugal, home births are an uncommon practice and are not officially supported by national health guidelines. The Portuguese healthcare system primarily provides care through public hospitals and authorized birth centers, emphasizing safety for mother and child.
Currently, home births are not part of the official healthcare system’s recommendations. Pregnant women in Portugal are entitled to maternity benefits and healthcare facilitation, which focus on hospital-based care. Comprehensive national data on home births’ impact on perinatal mortality in Portugal is not readily accessible, but international research suggests a potential increase in risk compared to hospital births without professional oversight.
The pregnancy for a home birth in Portugal should not exceed 42 weeks of gestation, and the maximum time between the residence and the hospital for a home birth is 30 minutes. Assistance for home births requires at least two specialist nurses certified to practice in Maternity and Obstetrics.
Recent data from 2023 shows that 869 babies were born at home. However, the integration of home births into the NHS in Portugal has not received a response from the Ministry of Health regarding openness to the practice.
In contrast, the UK offers low-intervention units, some situated on the hospital perimeter, to facilitate emergency assistance for home births. Some studies suggest that the perinatal mortality rate decreases as the number of births outside the hospital environment increases, given differentiated assistance. Studies conducted in the UK indicate a potential decrease in perinatal mortality rate with the increase in home births, provided proper assistance is available.
Historically, people had home births due to lack of choices, but as healthcare systems have evolved, hospital births have become more common, offering increased safety and access to medical interventions when needed. The ongoing discourse about home births in Portugal highlights the need for further research and open dialogue about this topic to ensure the best possible care for pregnant women and their babies.
References: 1. Ministry of Health in Portugal yet to respond to SIC's inquiry about home births in the NHS. 2. Specialist nurses must be certified to practice in Maternity and Obstetrics. 3. Pregnancy for a home birth in Portugal should not exceed 42 weeks of gestation. 4. SIC has asked the Ministry of Health in Portugal about the potential integration of home births into the NHS, but has not received a response. 5. Home births are rare and typically not part of the official healthcare system’s recommendations. 6. Comprehensive national data on home births’ impact on perinatal mortality in Portugal is not readily accessible. 7. Pregnant women in Portugal are entitled to maternity benefits and healthcare facilitation, which focus on hospital-based care. 8. The integration of home births into the NHS in Portugal has not received a response from the Ministry of Health regarding openness to the practice. 9. The maximum time between the residence and the hospital for a home birth in Portugal is 30 minutes. 10. In the UK, there are studies suggesting that the perinatal mortality rate decreases when the number of home births increases, given proper assistance. 11. Mário João Santos is a specialist in social studies on birth. 12. In 2023, 869 babies were born at home. 13. Low-intervention units, often located near hospitals, are present in the UK to facilitate emergency assistance for home births. 14. Studies in the UK indicate a potential decrease in perinatal mortality rate with an increase in home births when proper assistance is provided. 15. Historically, people had home births due to lack of choices.
- Despite the lack of official support in Portugal, there is ongoing discussion about the potential integration of science-backed home births into the national health system (NHS), as shown by the unanswered inquiry from SIC.
- In contrast to Portugal's stance on home births, the health-and-wellness practices in the UK suggest that home births, when supported by proper assistance, can lead to a decrease in perinatal mortality, as indicated by studies conducted by specialists like Mário João Santos.
