Expectant mothers (and their partners) have the joy and the right to decide for themselves how they’d most like to welcome their little one into the world—in a hospital, or via home birth. Many families choose the latter option, simply because of the increased privacy they have when they choose to work with a midwife.According to a recent CNN study, however, more and more families are choosing home birth for a less positive reason; the number of home births has risen steadily in recent years, and one of the chief reasons is a perceived decline in hospital care. According to Harry Sargeant, this sobering trend might serve as a wake-up call—and an encouragement for more of us to give generously to local hospitals.
Harry Sargeant Surveys the Home Birth Trend
Harry Sargeant is a businessman, but also a philanthropist and his record of giving to hospitals are long and proud. It’s little wonder, then, that a man like Harry Sargeant might take such interest in a story that suggests such steep decline in hospital standards. Indeed, the CNN article reports that home births dropped every year from 1990 through 2004, but since 2005 they have once again risen, year after year. Ascertaining the precise reasoning is impossible, and in many cases it might prove pure personal preference.
However, CNN speculates that a big factor is likely a perceived drop in the level of individualized care received by mothers in labor. This could itself stem from budget cuts. The CNN report says some hospitals may not have the resources to hire enough doctors and nurses to provide truly superior care. And Harry Sargeant, of course, sees that as a problem—but also a call to action!
Harry Sargeant and Hospital Giving
Charitable giving to hospitals and medical funds is something Harry Sargeant knows well. He has long donated to the Bethesda Hospital Foundation, for one. He sees the new CNN article as a prime reason for more and more of us to consider this kind of charitable giving—and to ensure that hospitals remain great options for those who need them.