1. Cost minimisation analyses of birth care in low-risk women in Norway: a comparison between planned home birth and birth in a standard obstetric unit.
- Author
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Joranger P, Huitfeldt AS, Bernitz S, and Blix E
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Norway, Pregnancy, Adult, Delivery, Obstetric economics, Home Childbirth economics, Home Childbirth statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: Evidence exists that planned home births for low-risk women in settings in which they have access to hospital transfer if needed are safe. The costs of planned home births, compared to low-risk births in obstetric units, are not clear. The aim of this study was to compare costs associated with hospital births versus home births under different home birth organizations., Methods: We performed a cost minimisation analysis (CMA) based on decision-analytic modelling while assuming that health outcomes were not affected by place of birth. Estimations of resource use were mainly based on three existing Norwegian datasets: (1) women with planned home births (n = 354), (2) women with planned home births (n = 482) of which 63 were transferred to a hospital, and (3) women with planned births in a hospital (n = 1550)., Results: Planned home birth costs 45.9% (credibility interval [CrI] 39.1-54.2) of a low-risk birth at a hospital. For planned home birth, the birth was the costliest activity (32.1%). The costs for planned home birth were estimated to be €1872 (CrI 1694-2071) and included hospitalisations for some. Costs for only those with actual home birth was €1353 (CrI 1244-1469). Costs of a birth, including possible birth-related complications, in low-risk women in a hospital was €4077 (CrI 3575-4615). When including the costs of being on call for one woman at a time, a planned home birth costs €5,531 (CrI 5,171-5,906), which is 135.7% (CrI 117.7-156.8) of low-risk births at a hospital. When organizing midwives in the on call teams for multiple women at a time, a planned home birth costs € 2,842 (CrI 2,647-3,053), which is 69.7% (CrI 60.3-80.9) of a low-risk birth in a hospital., Conclusions: Home birth can be cost-effective if the midwives who facilitate home births are organised into larger groups, or they work for hospitals that also facilitate home births. A model in which midwives work separately or in pairs to assist with a home birth and are on call for one birth at a time may not be cost-effective., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
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