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The Politics of Home Delivery in The Netherlands
Author(s) -
Arkel W.G.,
Ament A.J.,
Bell N.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
birth
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.233
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1523-536X
pISSN - 0730-7659
DOI - 10.1111/j.1523-536x.1980.tb01381.x
Subject(s) - attendance , falling (accident) , medicine , politics , home birth , family medicine , birth rate , nursing , business , pregnancy , economic growth , environmental health , political science , childbirth , economics , population , fertility , biology , law , genetics
The Netherlands has been unique among western industrialized countries in having a high proportion of home deliveries and a low infant mortality rate. It is often looked to as an example of a high quality, family‐centered system of perinatal care. Recently, with falling birth rates, an imminent oversupply of professionals, removal of financial barriers, and the technologising of medicine, some marked changes have been occurring. Midwives have maintained a constant 40% of the attendance at deliveries, but general practitioners are attending fewer births and obstetricians more.The percent of hospital deliveries has doubled in the last 20 years. Even midwives are coming to be hospital‐based. National policy has favoured home delivery, but in practice, a number of professional, financial and political forces are working in the opposite direction. The trend to a reduction of home deliveries seems likely to continue. A stronger voice for consumers and better evaluation of the effects of home delivery are in order if home delivery is to retain a significant place in Dutch perinatal care.