Actually there are several large scale studies that show that homebirth has better outcomes. The most recent can be found here: http://mothering.com/canadian-homebirth-study

That being said, it is obvious that you work in a hospital, and most probably a progressive one being that you are located in SF. I live in Florida. The C-Section rate is 67% at one of our hospitals with an average section rate of 40% in our city. I have many friends I have supported through hospital births who have come away feeling disempowered at best, deeply traumatized at worst. One friend stated that she felt like a caged animal. These are "middle mom's" that did not even consider homebirth and were all for giving birth at the hospital. While I had a homebirth, I know it is not everyone's choice and wish that hospitals were more concerned with better outcomes by understanding the nature of giving birth. I had one friend in Mississippi who had to be sectioned because she could not push the baby out - she was not allowed to change birth positions from the standard feet in stirrups because he would not be able to see. After Katrina, doctor's in Houston had to call in midwife's from across the country to help deliver babies because they had no idea how to do so without their beeping machines. Women should be able to safely deliver their baby in a hospital and have it be a sacred and empowering event. Until that is the standard, as it is with homebirth, I will continue to let folks know about this wonderful option.