There is a misconception both in my field and popular culture that to have a home birth is to deliberately forgo proper care. The recent Netflix movie Pieces of a Woman, by Hungarian screenwriter-director team Kata Wéber and Kornél Mundruczó, opens with one of the most riveting childbirth scenes ever captured on film. Martha, the character portrayed by Vanessa Kirby, loses her baby during a planned home birth. As Martha struggles with her loss, her mother compels her to testify in a wrongful death lawsuit brought against the midwife by the state. The film is a richly nuanced reading of a mother’s grief. It also highlights, and in some ways perpetuates, stigma that harms midwives and those they care for who deserve comfort and dignity when giving birth outside of a hospital setting.
The reality is that a planned home birth with a midwife is a safe option for low-risk pregnancies and can limit unnecessary medical interventions. It’s essential for people in rural areas who lack hospital access. It can also be a more supportive and comfortable option for women who face mistreatment, abuse, and racism at the hands of the U.S. maternity system, which often fails to meet the complex and diverse needs of all Americans. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic at times overwhelms hospital birthing units, causing some to wonder whether more birthing services should be thoughtfully moved into the community. Some hospitals restrict the number of visitors who can attend a birth, adding yet another compelling reason why people may prefer to give birth at home. Midwives are extensively trained, skilled professionals who in the best of circumstances work in collaboration with OB-GYNs and hospitals to manage emergencies—something that Pieces of a Woman’s harrowing birth scene obscures.
