i was personally involved with home births for about 6 months, and hospital births for a year. i knew all the lines about the infection rate and c-sec rate in hospitals, the unfounded aggressive nature and surgical orientation of obs. all true. but i would never recommend someone to have a home birth, (almost)never.
on the other hand there are some terrible unnecessary things that go on with hospital births. for now the best answer is a compromise. a birthing center that is truly understanding of the process, a midwife directed birth, or an ob who has some sense, or a combination of all three
but never a home birth unless absolutely necessary for some reason