Truth About Childbirth: Facts vs Common Misconceptions

When it comes to pregnancy and birth in the United States, there’s no shortage of misinformation. It can come from dramatic movie scenes to well-meaning but outdated advice from friends, family, and even some healthcare providers. It’s easy to feel confused or fearful about what to expect. Yes, labor can be intense, but it isn’t a medical emergency waiting to happen. Childbirth is a natural process that can unfold safely and powerfully when women are supported with accurate information and respectful care.

Let’s look at some of the biggest myths surrounding childbirth and replace them with evidence-based facts.

Myth #1: Hospitals are the safest place to give birth

Fact: For healthy, low-risk pregnancies, hospital birth isn’t always safer. Sometimes, it’s even riskier. 

Harvard obstetrician Dr. Neel Shah addresses this in this article, where he explains that the perceived safety of hospital birth often leads to over-intervention. “While we take excellent care of sick patients,” Shah writes, “we do less well for healthy patients with routine pregnancies.”

In the U.S., nearly half of cesarean sections appear to be unnecessary. These surgeries come with risks: longer recovery, surgical complications, and negative impacts on future pregnancies. Yet they happen routinely in hospitals. The result? Over 20,000 avoidable complications and billions in wasted healthcare spending annually.

For some women, a homebirth or a birth center birth with a trained Midwife may actually reduce risk. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, planned home births can be safe for low-risk women with appropriate backup plans in place.

Myth #2: Vaginal delivery is extremely painful and terrifying

Fact: Labor can be intense, but not necessarily traumatic, and there are many pain relief options.

Yes, labor involves pain. But each woman’s experience is different, and the pain is rarely unbearable. Many women experience labor as manageable, especially when supported by a trusted birth team and allowed to move, breathe, and eat during labor.

There are many forms of pain relief, from epidurals and IV medications to hydrotherapy, massage, and breathing techniques. What’s important is that pregnant women understand their options and choose what’s right for them, without pressure from providers or protocols.

Myth #3: Birth should be scheduled around a due date

Fact: Your due date is an estimate, not a deadline.

Despite its name, a due date is just that: a guess. Only about 5% of babies are born on their due date. Many healthy pregnancies go a week or two beyond it.

Unfortunately, pressure to induce labor often starts as soon as that date passes. Induction can be helpful in high-risk pregnancies, but when used unnecessarily, it may lead to a cascade of interventions, including an increased chance of cesarean section.

Waiting for labor to begin on its own (when medically appropriate) leads to better outcomes for mothers and babies. Nature knows what it’s doing. Trusting that process matters.

Myth #4: Only doctors should deliver babies

Fact: Midwives are highly trained professionals who specialize in normal, healthy births.

There’s a persistent belief that Midwives are somehow “less than” doctors. In reality, we’re experts in low-risk pregnancies and vaginal birth. We are skilled in monitoring both mothers and babies, recognizing complications early, and supporting physiologic birth.

Midwives have lower rates of interventions like inductions, episiotomies, and cesarean sections. We also offer more continuous emotional support and personalized care throughout labor and delivery.

When an at-risk pregnancy develops, Midwives know when to refer to or collaborate with an OB/GYN and we will still be there to offer support if complications occur. 

Myth #5: Homebirth is reckless or irresponsible

Fact: For well-screened, low-risk pregnancies, planned home births can be a safe and positive choice.

In many other countries, birth at home is normal. The United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) even recommends home birth for some women, citing better outcomes for low-risk pregnancies. Their approach emphasizes minimal intervention, which aligns with nature’s design for vaginal delivery.

In the U.S., fear often clouds this option. But with a qualified Midwife, emergency backup, and appropriate planning, home birth is far from reckless; it’s a safe, evidence-based choice.

The Truth in Birth

Women are very capable of delivering their babies. The human body is remarkably well-designed for it. With the right information and support, pregnant women can make informed choices that match their needs. 

The current U.S. maternity system often treats birth as a medical event rather than a natural life process. But data and experience tell another story. Vaginal birth is not only possible for most women but is often safer and more satisfying outside the rigid hospital structure.

Every woman deserves care that supports her choices, not just standard protocol.