73,229 low-risk pregnant women study finds water births pose no greater risks than out-of-water births, according to Cardiff University research published in BJOG.

A study of 73,229 low-risk pregnant women who used a pool during labor found that water births pose no greater risks than births out of water. The research, led by Professor Julia Sanders at Cardiff University, analyzed severe tear rates, the need for neonatal unit assistance, and baby mortality rates. The findings, published in the obstetrics and gynaecology journal BJOG, could have significant implications for women who use birthing pools for pain relief during labor, as they show that water births with NHS midwives are as safe as giving birth out of water for low-risk mothers and babies.

June 10, 2024
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