Home Birth, Midwife Care, and Birth Centers: Emerging Trends

Over the past several years, maternity care in the United States has begun to shift. Families are exploring options beyond the hospital setting, and more are choosing midwifery-led care, birth centers, and home births. What was once looked at as fringe or unconventional is now gaining traction—and the data reflects this growing movement.

These choices are supported by solid outcomes, rising demand, and a changing landscape in maternal healthcare. Here’s what the latest statistics reveal about the bright future of birth.

Home Birth Is on the Rise

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), home births in the U.S. increased by 12% in 2022, reaching the highest rate since at least 1990. In some states, the growth has been even more pronounced, especially in rural areas where access to hospital-based maternity care is limited.

What’s driving this trend?

• A growing interest in low-intervention, physiologic birth

• Families seeking more autonomy and continuity of care

• The COVID-19 pandemic, which led many to reconsider hospital settings

• Increased awareness and normalization of home birth through social media and advocacy

Far from a risky alternative, studies show that planned home births with qualified midwives for low-risk pregnancies have excellent outcomes, including lower rates of cesarean sections, fewer interventions, and high maternal satisfaction.

Midwifery Care Continues to Gain Momentum

Midwives aren’t just attending home births—they’re playing a growing role across all birth settings. As of recent years, certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified professional midwives (CPMs) have attended roughly 10% of all U.S. births, and that number continues to rise.

Research consistently shows that midwifery care is associated with:

• Lower rates of induction, cesarean, and episiotomy

• Higher breastfeeding success rates

• Improved outcomes for mothers and babies

• A more respectful, person-centered approach to care

In fact, studies conclude that scaling up midwifery care could prevent over 80% of maternal and newborn deaths worldwide. In the U.S., as maternal mortality rates remain high—particularly among Black and Indigenous families—midwives offer a vital solution.

Birth Centers Are Expanding Access and Choice

Birth centers—freestanding facilities that blend the comfort of home with the safety of trained midwives and emergency protocols—are also growing in popularity.

The American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) reports:

• More than 400 birth centers are operating in the U.S., with new ones opening every year

• Birth centers see fewer interventions, with over 90% of clients avoiding cesarean

• Clients report high satisfaction and cost savings compared to hospital births

For families who want out-of-hospital birth but are not comfortable with home birth—or who face state restrictions on midwifery licensing—birth centers offer a valuable middle path.

Policy and Insurance Are Catching Up

As demand grows, so does recognition at the systems level. In recent years:

• Medicaid and private insurance coverage for midwives and birth centers has expanded in several states

• The Midwives for MOMS Act and BABIES Act have gained traction in Congress, supporting midwifery education and access

• States like Washington, Oregon, and New Mexico have strong models for integrating midwives into public health systems

This signals a shift toward more equitable, accessible maternity care—especially for underserved communities who have long faced barriers to options like midwifery or out-of-hospital birth.

The Bottom Line: Families Want Options

More families today are asking:

• “Who will really listen to me?”

• “Do I have to give birth in a hospital?”

• “What kind of birth experience do I want?”

And more often than ever, those families are finding answers through home birth, midwives, and birth centers.

These emerging trends are not just numbers—they reflect a powerful desire for birth that is safe, supported, and centered around the family. As midwifery care becomes more visible and validated by both data and lived experience, it’s clear that this movement is not a trend—it’s a return to something we’ve always known: when people are cared for with trust, respect, and skilled hands, birth can be not only safer, but profoundly transformational.