[Birthing centers: review of the literature]

Birth Centers have been established in many industrialized countries but no facilities of this type are available in France. The aim of this review was to analyze the literature concerning existing Birth Centers in order to compare them with conventional hospitals in terms of efficacy. Nine studies were retained including one prospective study. All underlined an improvement in both maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in the low-risk pregnancy group. No conclusion can however be made concerning the harmlessness of establishing Birth Centers in the French healthcare system. The small number of cases in these studies, their heterogenicity and the fact that only one was prospective point out the importance of cautious interpretation. Estimation studies must be conducted in experimental sites before opening Birth Centers in France.