While I agree with Chris Hafner-Eaton's post completely (that in-hospital
births can be very dangerous), I also think that we need to strive to fix
what's wrong with hospital births, not just give up on them.  There is no
earthly reason why hospital births have to be done the way they are.

All three of my births took place in the hospital, and me and my second baby
would undoutedly have both died if we'd had an at-home birth (and then there
would have been no third baby).  No amount of resuscitation equipment or
even an ambulance would have saved me, that's for sure . . . I'll spare you
guys the long story.

Some of you probably think that wouldn't have been such a bad thing  ;)

Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University