People Are Debating Whether or Not "Free Birth" Is Safe After a Baby Died During Labor

Although a free birth and a home birth might seem similar at first pass, there's a big difference between the two.

"A planned home birth means you'll give birth at home instead of a hospital or birthing center," say experts at Healthline. "You'll still need the assistance of someone experienced and qualified during labor and delivery. Planned home births are associated with double to triple the risk of infant death or severe injury than births planned at hospitals. That statistic may sound startling, but even with that increase, the risk of infant death with a planned home birth is low."

Because there's no trained medical professional present at a free birth, women and their partners are essentially left with all of the responsibility, making the process far riskier.