File:USA birth location 1990-2006.jpg

Percentage of all births that were born out of a hospital, at home, or in a birthing center: United States, 1990–2006

In 2006, out-of-hospital births represented 0.90% of the 4,265,555 births in the United States. After a gradual decline from 1990 to 2004, the percentage of out-of-hospital births increased by 3% from 0.87% in 2004 to 0.90% in 2005 and 2006.

Patterns for home and birthing center births, the majority of out-of-hospital births, mirrored those for all out-of-hospital births, with a gradual decline from 1990 to 2004, followed by an increase in 2005 that was sustained in 2006.

The percentage of home births declined from 0.67% in 1990 to 0.56% in 2004, and then increased by 5% to 0.59% in 2005 and 2006.

The percentage of births in a birthing center decreased from 0.36% in 1990 to 0.23% in 2004, and then increased to 0.25% in 2005 and 2006.

Citation - MacDorman M, Menacker F, Declercq E. Trends and characteristics of home and other out-of-hospital births in the United States, 1990–2006. National vital statistics reports; vol 58 no 11. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2010. PDF

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