Publicly-funded homebirth models in Australia.

Area of Science:

• Maternal and Child Health
• Public Health Policy
• Midwifery Research

Background:

• Publicly-funded homebirth programs in Australia have emerged with limited evaluation and information sharing.
• A preliminary survey was conducted by the National Publicly-funded Homebirth Consortium to address this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate the developmental pathways and characteristics of publicly-funded homebirth models across Australia.

Main Methods:

• An online survey distributed in December 2010 to Australian publicly-funded homebirth program providers.
• Data collected covered program development, policy implementation, and operational aspects.
• Descriptive and content analyses were performed on quantitative and qualitative data, respectively.

Main Results:

• Twelve programs were identified, with ten providing data for the analysis.
• Program development involved extensive multidisciplinary consultation and meticulous planning.
• Inconsistent data collection practices were noted due to variations in databases, definitions, and guidelines.

Conclusions:

• Despite varied developmental trajectories, safety and stakeholder collaboration (including women and obstetricians) were fundamental to all surveyed homebirth services.
• The National Publicly-funded Homebirth Consortium has fostered resource sharing and collaboration among Australian homebirth services.
• Standardized identification of births from these programs within perinatal datasets is crucial for future planning and research in midwifery care.