Too little too late, too much too soon: global and local home birth provision

The prevalence of birth in the home setting varies considerably globally. The concepts of ‘too little too late’ and ‘too much too soon’ can be usefully applied to consider the impact of home birth prevalence in both low- and high-income countries. While in many parts of the world, home birth is associated with high maternal mortality rates, locally, the institutionalisation of birth in the hospital setting can be considered a pertinent factor when examining increasing rates of medical intervention. Home birth is a human right in European countries and can have a multitude of benefits, including a reduced likelihood of intervention for low-risk families, and as such should be an option available to birthing people.