(NBC News) – Amid a rise in home births, mistrust between midwives and hospitals can put mothers and babies at risk.

A growing number of women in the U.S. are opting to give birth at home: More than 50,000 had planned home births in 2024 (the latest data available), a nearly 71% increase from 2016. But when issues arise during labor that require a transfer to a hospital, which happens in around 10% to 15% of home births, the process can be plagued with unnecessary challenges — a result of decades of distrust between midwives and doctors.

It’s not uncommon, midwives said, to call a hospital’s labor and delivery unit when a patient needs a transfer, only for nurses or doctors to discourage them from coming or dismiss the information they relay. (Read More)