A Review of “An Estimation of Intrapartum-related Perinatal Mortality Rates for Booked Home Birth in England and Wales Between 1994 and 2003”

SUMMARY
This population-based cross-sectional study by Mori et al. presents routinely collected national data from England and Wales to provide estimates of intrapartum-related perinatal mortality rates for booked home births. Intrapartum-related perinatal mortality is a narrowing of the definition of perinatal mortality to exclude deaths from causes other than intrapartum asphyxia, anoxia, or trauma. Although rates of perinatal mortality are more commonly used in studies, the authors use IPPM as a way to reflect the safety of home birth as the location for intrapartum events.