Water birth is no more dangerous than other births, a study says

He water birth It has been proven beneficial for many women because it helps relieve the pain of contractions, decreasing the use of epidural analgesia. However, it is recommended that the entry into the water be made when the dilation is already advanced, because if you enter before you can lengthen the process.

Because of that ability of hot water to allow dilation to progress with less pain, water delivery is recommended. However, a few years ago, the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) and ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) published some cases that could advise against water birth (not dilatation), considering it a risk to the lives of some newborns.

Now, a new study published in the magazine Journal os Midwifery & Women's Health concludes that water birth not only It is no more dangerous than the other deliveries, but it has some benefits that are not discussed in other studies.

More than 15 thousand births analyzed

The study we talked about, as we read in Babyology, was carried out with data on babies born between 2004 and 2009. They were analyzed 6,534 deliveries in the water, which were compared with 10,290 deliveries out of the water.

To compare the newborns, they assessed the Apgar test score at 5 minutes, if the baby should be admitted with a problem or if he was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at some time between birth and the first 6 weeks of life .

They also compared the mothers and analyzed data on genital trauma, hospital admission after childbirth, and admission or infection of the uterus or endometrium in the first 6 weeks.

Water births are as safe as it is

What they saw was that in the babies born in the water there were 64% less income at birth, 25% less hospital admissions in the first weeks and a 31% less income in the NICU. When it came to seeing how water birth affected women, they saw that water birth was 35% less income after childbirth, a 28% fewer hospitalizations in the first 6 weeks, but 11% more risk of genital trauma. There were no differences in the number of maternal infections after delivery.

The lead author of the study Marit Bovbjerg said this about it:

The results suggest that birth in water is a reasonably safe option, and an option with few interventions for women who have little risk of complications during childbirth. The decision to have a water birth should be taken in conjunction with a medical professional.

In view of the study data it is clear that not only is it not more dangerous, but it seems to compensate if, as the authors say, childbirth is low risk. In cases where childbirth is complicated for some reason, it may be appropriate to give birth out of the water for the reasons I have mentioned at the beginning, for those few cases, those few babies, who at birth are panting or trying to take a breath.

Video: Hospital Vs. Home Births (March 2024).