| Sumario: | Abstract: In the UK there continues to be an ongoing debate about home birth. Limited research is available to determine what influences multiparous women who chose home birth after a previous hospital birth. This paper is the first of a two-part series exploring these influences. This paper will explore the existing literature around the topic and evaluate the key themes. Six databases were searched for relevant literature, and 20 relevant papers were identified. The majority of available research did not differentiate between primiparous and multiparous women, and the predominant focus was on the perception of risks associated with home birth. Persistent themes in the literature were related to control of the birth, negativity about a previous birth, risks and safety, home birth as a lifestyle choice and the influence of midwives. The second paper will report the findings of a phenomenological study in which eight multiparous women were interviewed about the factors that influenced their decision to home birth after a previous hospital birth.
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