Midwives | Choice of place of birth
Giving birth in hospital
The staff and equipment in a hospital give many women* or couples the feeling of security they need for the birth. If there are certain medical reasons (e.g. previous illnesses of the mother), it is necessary to plan a birth in hospital.
Various pain relief options are available in hospital. However, pregnant women do not know the midwife in charge in advance and must expect that there will be a change of midwife during the birth or that one midwife will care for several women giving birth at the same time.
Hospital routines can be restrictive (e.g. choice of birthing position). The rate of interventions is also higher than with out-of-hospital births.
Some hospitals offer the option of a midwife-led birth, e.g. Vienna General Hospital - AKH Wien (pdf).
Birth in hospital with your own midwife
In some hospitals, it is possible to be cared for by a midwife of choice, who gets to know the woman* or couple during pregnancy and who also looks after the family after discharge from hospital.
Advantages:
- continuous support from a trusted midwife (or a team of midwives)
- lower rate of interventions during the birth
- greater satisfaction due to 1:1 care
The costs for birth support by an elective midwife are not covered by health insurance.
Outpatient birth ("Ambulante Geburt")
The birth takes place in hospital, attended by the midwife on duty. Mother and child leave the hospital within the first 24 hours after the birth and are cared for at home by a midwife.
Advantages:
- breastfeeding is easier to establish
- better recovery
- the family is not separated
- the home environment protects against infections with hospital germs
It is important to organize support for the initial period as well as a paediatrician for the mother-child-pass examination in the first week of life. The costs for aftercare are partially reimbursed by the health insurance company.
Home birth
A healthy woman* with a normal pregnancy can give birth to her baby at home under the care of a home birth midwife (or a team of midwives). For healthy women* and children, a home birth is just as safe as a birth in a hospital.
The woman* or family is supported by the midwife during pregnancy and the birth takes place in familiar surroundings with familiar people. There is as little interference as possible in the natural course of the birth. Particularly conscientious monitoring of the birth process means that any deviations can be detected at an early stage.
If painkillers are required or complications arise, the woman* is transferred to hospital. The midwife always has emergency medication with her.
The costs for a home birth are partially reimbursed by the health insurance company.
Birth center and midwife practice
A birth center or midwife practice can be an alternative for women* or couples between a hospital birth and a home birth.
The prerequisite for a birth in a birth center - as for a home birth - is the physical and mental health of mother and child.
The birth is attended by a midwife (or a team of midwives) who gets to know the family during the pregnancy and also looks after them at home after the birth. There is as little intervention as possible in the physiological course of the birth. The family returns home a few hours after the birth.
If painkillers are required or in the event of complications, the woman* will be transferred to hospital.
The costs for birth support in a birthing center or midwife practice are not covered by health insurance.
Detaillierte Infos zu