For many Illinois families, deciding where to give birth is one of the most personal and important choices. Some parents choose at-home births for the comfort of a familiar environment, cultural traditions, or the desire for fewer medical interventions. Others value the sense of control that home deliveries can provide.
But the decision carries risks that go beyond health alone. Data shows that serious complications are more likely to occur in at-home births, and Chicago-area hospitals are better equipped to manage them.
When emergencies strike, it can mean the difference between a safe outcome and a lifetime of emotional challenges, medical bills, and financial strain.
If your child was injured during an at-home birth, contact Beam Legal Team for help.
What are the Risks of At-Home Births?
Although trained midwives can manage many routine deliveries, the absence of advanced medical equipment and specialists means that emergencies are harder to handle at home.
Some of the most serious risks include:
Prolonged Labor
If labor does not progress as expected, both the mother and baby may be at risk. Hospitals can use medication or perform a C-section, while at home, options are limited and transferring to a hospital means more time before receiving care. What begins as a slow-to-progress labor can spiral into emergency surgery, longer recoveries, and months of unexpected medical care.
Excessive Bleeding
Postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide, affecting 14 million women and causing 70,000 deaths annually. At home, the lack of immediate access to surgery or transfusions makes this risk especially dangerous. Without rapid intervention, bleeding risks don’t stop with delivery; they can bring lasting health setbacks and ongoing treatment needs.
Umbilical Cord Issues
Complications like a prolapsed cord (when the cord slips through the cervix ahead of the baby) or cord compression can cut off the oxygen supply to the unborn baby. These emergencies require immediate medical attention, often a C-section, to prevent brain injury or death for the infant. At home, delays in identifying and responding to cord issues increase the risk of birth injury.
Fetal Distress
Hospitals can catch fetal distress within minutes using continuous monitoring, while at home, intermittent checks can miss the warning signs. When fetal distress is missed, the outcome isn’t only medical, it can mean years of specialized care and uncertainty about your child’s future.
Emergency Transfers and Delayed Care
When every minute matters, even short transfer delays can turn manageable complications into emergencies. For some families, these minutes make the difference between a safe recovery and a lifetime of permanent challenges.
What is the Role of Midwives in At-Home Births?
Certified midwives provide compassionate, skilled care during normal pregnancies and births. They can manage routine labor, offer comfort, and give families control in a familiar environment.
However, their resources are limited compared to those in a hospital setting. Midwives typically cannot perform emergency surgery, access blood banks, or provide intensive neonatal care.
When complications arise, families must rely on hospital transfers, and every delay increases the chance of lasting medical needs, financial strain, and emotional challenges.
Hospital Births Provide Immediate Access to Care
Hospitals offer something no home setting can: immediate access to advanced medical teams and technology. Obstetricians, anesthesiologists, neonatal specialists, and surgical units can respond within minutes if a mother or baby is in distress.
While hospital births are not risk-free and medical malpractice and birth injuries sadly do still occur, the safety net is broader and faster. This difference often means the gap between a safely managed complication and one that leads to lifelong medical care, unexpected costs, and lasting changes to a family’s future.
Weighing the Risks Before Choosing Birthing Plan
Choosing where to give birth can shape your child’s health and your family’s stability for years to come. When complications lead to injury, the impact isn’t only physical but also financial and emotional.
Knowing your legal rights is just as critical as having the right medical care. Families in Illinois have options to hold providers accountable and secure resources to protect their child’s future.
How Our Chicago Birth Injury Lawyers Can Help
Our Chicago birth injury lawyers have decades of experience representing families in complex birth injury cases. We understand the heartbreak and struggles parents face when a child suffers harm due to medical negligence, whether during a hospital birth or an at-home delivery.
If you believe your child’s injury was caused by inadequate care, we can investigate what happened, hold negligent providers accountable, and help you receive the resources your family needs for the future—no matter where the birth took place.
When Birth Injuries Happen, You Deserve Answers
Medical and financial burdens after a birth injury are overwhelming, but waiting too long to act legally can close the door to justice.
The deadlines that determine how long parents have to file a claim when their newborn has been injured can be complicated, especially if the full extent of the child’s injuries does not appear right away. Cerebral palsy, for example, which can be caused by a lack of oxygen or a head injury during delivery, is often not diagnosed until the child starts to miss major developmental milestones.
Our Chicago birth injury lawyers can explain your rights, guide you through the legal process, and answer your questions free of charge. You don’t pay any legal fees unless we achieve a successful outcome for your case, ensuring families have access to justice without upfront costs.
Contact our team today for a free consultation and let us help you protect your child’s future.