module 9:

Homebirth tests + procedures

In the homebirth model of care, every choice is guided by informed consent, respect for autonomy, and trust in the body’s natural design. This module will introduce you to the most common tests, swabs, and procedures offered throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. As well as how they are approached differently outside the hospital setting.

You’ll learn how testing can be used as a tool for awareness, rather than a requirement, and how each family has the right to make decisions based on education, intuition, and individual circumstance. The goal here is not to create fear or opposition, but to cultivate understanding and discernment. Actively knowing what each procedure is, what it tells us, and when it may or may not be truly necessary.

This module will gently guide you through:

• The most common prenatal tests and screenings and their purpose.

• Informed consent and refusal in the homebirth setting, supporting families in decision-making.

• How to discuss risk vs. benefit and recognize when interventions align with physiologic birth.

• Evidence-based and up to date statistics

• The role of observation and intuition as forms of assessment in traditional care.

• Supporting respectful collaboration when tests or transfers of care become needed.