Waterbirth Works

Bailey, J. M., Zielinski, R. E., Emeis, C. L., & Kane Low, L. (2020). A retrospective comparison of waterbirth outcomes in two United States hospital settings. Birth (Berkeley, Calif.), 47(1), 98–104. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12473

Bailey et al., objective was to report the outcomes from two nurse-midwifery services that provide waterbirth within a tertiary care hospital setting in the United States.

Methods: This study is a retrospective, observational, matched comparison design. Data were collected from two large midwifery practices in tertiary care centers using information recorded at the time of birth for quality assurance purposes. Land birth cases were excluded if events would have precluded them from waterbirth (epidural, meconium stained fluid, chorioamnionitis, estimated gestational age < 37 weeks, or body mass index > 40). Neonatal outcomes included Apgar score and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. Maternal outcomes included perineal lacerations and postpartum hemorrhage.

Results: A total of 397 waterbirths and 2025 land births were included in the analysis. There were no differences in outcomes between waterbirth and land birth for Apgar scores or neonatal intensive care admissions (1.8% vs 2.5%). Women in the waterbirth group were less likely to sustain a first- or second-degree laceration. Postpartum hemorrhage rates were similar for both groups. Similar results were obtained using a land birth subset matched on insurance, hospital location, and parity using propensity scores.

Discussion: In this study, waterbirth was not associated with increased risk to neonates, extensive perineal lacerations, or postpartum hemorrhage. Fewer women in the waterbirth group sustained first- or second-degree lacerations requiring sutures.

A retrospective comparison of waterbirth outcomes in two United States hospital settings Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care is an interdisciplinary obstetrics & gynecology journal covering perinatal medicine & nursing, and maternal & newborn public health.

Vidiri A, Zaami S, Straface G, Gullo G, Turrini I, Matarrese D, Signore F, Cavaliere AF, Perelli F, Marchi L. Waterbirth: current knowledge and medico-legal issues. Acta Biomed. 2022 Mar 14;93(1):e2022077. doi: 10.23750/abm.v93i1.12617. PMID: 35315386; PMCID: PMC8972863.

Waterbirth: current knowledge and medico-legal issues Water immersion during labour and birth has become increasingly popular and widespread in many countries, in particular in midwifery-led care settings. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of quality data about waterbirth, with currently available findings ...