Mandatory malpractice insurance Increases CS rate & profitability of litigation, decreases planned homebirths

Midwifery Today Int Midwife. 2007 Winter:(84):16-7.

Abstract

Making malpractice insurance mandatory by law for homebirth midwives serves two purposes: to make lawsuits more profitable and to decrease the number of homebirth midwives. Malpractice insurance has encouraged and increased number of lawsuits, which increases maternal morbidity and mortality rates by promoting the practice of "defensive medicine" on healthy women experiencing normal pregnancies. No evidence shows that mandatory malpractice insurance has any effect on improvement birth outcomes or public health.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Home Childbirth / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Humans
  • Insurance, Liability / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Insurance, Nursing Services / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Legislation, Nursing
  • Malpractice / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Midwifery / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Nurse's Role