Childbirth is safer in the hospital setting

It's a relatively rare event these days when a baby dies during childbirth. But it's far more common when the birth occurs outside of a hospital setting. According to a new study published online by the New England Journal of Medicine, the mortality rate for out-of-hospital births is 3.9 per 1,000. That compares to 1.9 per 1,000 for births that occur at hospitals. The number of women giving birth outside of hospitals has increased nearly 30 percent between 2004 and 2009, and this data could prove a potential marketing peg for hospitals looking to see more patients patronize their maternity services. Read the full article in FierceHealthcare