Avram in MD- Again, giving birth is sakonos nefashos- which is why you are allowed to be mechalel shabbos to drive to the hospital.
“In a birth center or home birth attended by certified nurse midwives, oxygen and IVs are readily available, and the nurse is trained in infant resuscitation”
Do you really want to rely on one or two midwives for infant resuscitation? What if medication is needed? Who will treat the mother in the mean time?
“if you object to my use of the term “safe” for home birth on the grounds of sakanos nefashos, then you must also object to calling a hospital birth safe.”
In case of sakanos nefashos you go to a hospital- not to your local midwife.
“I see the debate here as not about whether birth is a sakanos nefashos, which is a constant yes, but whether a planned home birth is preferable to a hospital birth. “
Lets define “preferable”. To the comfort of the mother- maybe for some, and only if they dont want any pain relief medication.
For the infant- doubtful. Midwives in your home do not have the equipment to adequately treat a newborn if something goes wrong. IV?? Not to helpful if the infant needs medication.
So a women who decides on a home birth, is most definitely increasing the risk to herself, and exponentially so to the infant.
Why would you want to do that?