Policies and Practices on Out-of-Hospital Birth: a Review of Qualitative Studies in the Time of Coronavirus.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the interest in out-of-hospital birth increased in high-income countries, and the number of women choosing the home or a birth center to deliver has grown considerably. This review aims to give a more in-depth understanding of women's and health providers' perspectives on and experiences of out-of-hospital birth services during this period. Twenty-five studies in different countries, including the USA, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the UK, Spain, Croatia, and Norway, were reviewed. Findings stress that out-of-hospital birth has allowed women to deliver according to their wishes and needs. In addition, the pandemic experience represents an opportunity for policy to better support and integrate out-of-hospital services in the health care system in the future.