US home births rise in pandemic, to highest level in decades

By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer

U.S. home births increased slightly in the pandemic’s second year, rising to the highest level in decades. That’s according to a report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Such births remain uncommon. Among almost 4 million births in 2021, nearly 52,000 occurred at home. The CDC report does not include reasons for the home births, including whether women lacked health insurance or lived far from a hospital. Other data suggest that about 1 in 4 home births are unplanned. Another possible factor: the pandemic. Other reports have shown that many people stayed out of hospitals and doctors’ offices to avoid COVID-19.