Neonatal Outcomes in the Birth Center Setting: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Perinatal Health
• Neonatal Outcomes
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• The birth center setting is an alternative to hospital births for low-risk pregnancies.
• Understanding neonatal mortality rates in birth centers is crucial for informed decision-making.
• Existing literature has limitations in comparing outcomes across different birth settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effect of birth center settings on neonatal mortality in developed countries.
• To provide evidence to aid women and clinicians in choosing birth locations.
• To identify research gaps regarding birth center care and neonatal outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of studies from Google Scholar, CINAHL, and PubMed.
• Inclusion of primary source studies in English, published after 1980, from developed countries.
• Focus on planned birth in centers adhering to established guidelines.

Main Results:

• Seventeen studies representing over 84,500 women were included.
• No study found a statistically significant increase in neonatal mortality in birth centers compared to hospitals for low-risk women.
• Data did not indicate a trend toward higher neonatal mortality in birth centers.

Conclusions:

• Current literature has significant limitations in assessing birth center care's impact on neonatal outcomes.
• Further research is required, particularly on subgroups at risk within birth center environments.
• Standardized definitions and detailed data collection are essential for future research.