Keywords: place of birth, preferences, motivations, characteristics

“The place to be; women’s birth place preferences in the Netherlands”

In the Netherlands, pregnant women can choose between a home birth or hospital birth. In order to provide client-focused care it is essential to have insight into women’s preferences regarding place of birth. This dissertation studies which characteristics, preferences, expectations and notions play a role in choosing the birth location. This study shows that women who choose to give birth at home or in hospital differ in some aspects. It also found that the choice of birth place is more complex than a simple choice between home and hospital.