Water births, long considered dangerous by
doctors, have been found to be as safe as traditional birthing methods,
according to a study in the British Medical Journal.
Research by the Institute of Child Health in
London collected data over a period of two years on all babies who died
before or after child birth following delivery in water or labour in
water.
During the two year study, 4,032 deliveries were
carried out. Among these the perinatal mortality rate was 1.2 per 1000
(0.12%) with a further 8.4 per 1000 (0.84%) admitted to hospital for
special care. Of the admissions for hospital, five were for snapped
umbilical cord and two for water aspiration. None of the deaths were
directly attributable to delivery in water.
These figures compare very favourably with
national and regional averages for full-term vaginal deliveries which show
a relative risk of 9 per 1000 (0.9%). The report concludes that delivery
in water was as safe as a standard delivery out of water.
