DALLAS, March 23 (UPI) -- Women considering giving birth at home should plan for ways to mitigate medical risks, a U.S. obstetrician suggests.
Dr. Patricia Santiago-Munoz, an obstetrician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, says women with high-risk factors should not attempt at-home delivery. High-risk factors include high blood pressure, having twins, a breech birth, or being at more than 42 weeks gestation, Santiago-Munoz says.
"Women with a previous Cesarean section delivery should not undergo a birth at home due to the risk of uterine rupture," Santiago-Munoz says. "The main thing is to make sure you have a low-risk pregnancy and that you have a physician or a certified nurse-midwife present."
Also essential is having a back-up plan to get to a hospital quickly if required.
"Timing is everything when something goes wrong," Santiago-Munoz says.
