In the Netherlands, one-third of children are born at home. The rest of Europe lags far behind

Tuesday, Feb 3, 2026

Gazeta Wyborcza

Exploring home births: motivations, costs, and varying legal/support systems across countries.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

Women choosing home births share their reasons, such as preferring a natural process and birthing in familiar surroundings. In Poland, advocacy groups push for NFZ funding for home births as a safer and cheaper alternative to hospital births, though costs can be significant. Polish law permits home births without complications, provided a qualified midwife is present. While some countries like the Netherlands support home births extensively with positive research findings, other regions face issues. Spain has concerns about unqualified individuals providing birth support, while Croatia lacks regulations for home births, forcing women to seek help abroad. Lithuania recently legalized and regulated home births to ensure safety and professional care, which could aid its demographic recovery.

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