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Where to give birth?

At home or in hospital

The choice of where to give birth is yours, at home or in an outpatient hospital. If there is a medical indication, we will explain and refer you to the Martini hospital or the UMCG.

Give birth at home or outpatient?

Safety first

During pregnancy, we will discuss with you your preferred place to give birth, at home or outpatient. The choice of delivery location depends on your own preference and situation. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and can relax as much as possible. Relaxation is very important for your labour to go smoothly. Some women do this best at home and others feel more comfortable in the hospital.

Still going to hospital?

At the moment suprême, things can turn out differently than you had thought of beforehand. Sometimes, due to medical reasons, you still have to go to hospital. This happens to almost half of all women who give birth for the first time. Or you actually wanted to go to hospital, but prefer to give birth at home. Whatever the case, we will guide you through this both at home and on an outpatient basis. So it is advisable to be prepared for both possibilities.

Medical indication

Sometimes it is already clear in advance that it is better/safer to give birth in hospital; we call this a medical indication. You will then give birth under the supervision of the gynaecologist.

 

Facts

  • About 1/5 of Dutch women give birth at home. (Source: Perinatal Registration Foundation);
  • Dutch women are more positive about their childbirth when assisted by their own midwife (source: Knowledge portal Obstetrics);
  • 96 per cent of women who gave birth at home look back on it with satisfaction. Women who still had to go to hospital are the least satisfied;
  • 27% of women who gave birth for the first time used an epidural for pain relief; among women who had given birth before, this was 10%
    (Source: Perinatal Registration Foundation);
  • You like best where you feel relaxed.

* Home is no more unsafe than hospital

 

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