Birth Around the World: Spotlight – The Netherlands
The midwifery model of care believes that pregnancy and birth are a natural process. In the Netherlands more than 79% of women are under the care of midwives. According to the Netherlands Institute for Health Research 1 in 3 women give birth with a midwife in attendance, compared to only 11%* in the United States. Dutch woman view birth as natural, not medical with many choosing to have a home birth. Infant and maternal mortality rates are also trend lower in the Netherlands.
NPR recently did a piece on healthcare in the Netherlands and highlighted birth practices in the country. Click here to listen to the piece or read excerpts from the report.
*Due to underreporting of midwife-attended deliveries, this figure should be considered a low estimate for the actual number of midwife-attended births.