slippery statistics

Birth is very safe! There's no argument.

I'm not motivated to argue over statistics down to the finest minutiae simply because I have not seen them be an accurate representation of real life. Stats can give us the big picture, but are limited in countless ways.

Take the 12.1% home birth transfer rate from a recently published study, for example. That is double the amount of transfers that many midwives see.

Again, take the American Heart Association Neonatal Resusitation Program statistic that 10% of newborns will need positive pressure ventilation, resuscitation, or CPR at birth. At real life home births, I've seen about a 1% need for PPV. I have however, witnessed more need created by the routine practice of premature blood amputation (immediate cord clamping) and drugs in the hospital. It's mostly iatrogenic.