The aim of this study was to document the practice of water births and compare their outcome and safety with normal vaginal deliveries. A retrospective case-control study was conducted over a five year period from 1989 to 1994 at the Maternity Unit, Rochford Hospital, Southend, UK. Three hundred and one women electing for water births were compared with the same number of age and parity matched low risk women having conventional vaginal deliveries. Length of labour; analgesia requirements; apgar scores; maternal complications including perineal trauma, postpartum haemorrhages, infections; fetal and neonatal complications including shoulder dystocias; admissions to the Special Care Baby Unit, and infections were noted. Primigravidae having water births had shorter first and second stages of labour compared with controls (P<0.05 and P<0.005 respectively), reducing the total time spent in labour by 90 min (95% confidence interval 31 to 148). All women having water births had reduced analgesia requirements. No analgesia was required by 38% (95% confidence interval 23.5 to 36.3, P<0.0001) and 1.3% requested opiates compared to 56% of the controls (95% confidence interval 46. 3 to 58.1, P<0.0001). Primigravidae having water births had less perineal trauma (P<0.05). Overall the episiotomy rate was 5 times greater in the control group (95% confidence interval 15 to 26.2, P<0.0001), but more women having water births had perineal tears (95% confidence interval 6.6 to 22.6, P<0.001). There were twice as many third degree tears, post partum haemorrhages and admissions to the Special Care Baby Unit in the controls, although these differences were not significant. Apgar scores were comparable in both groups. There were no neonatal infections or neonatal deaths in the study. This study suffers from many of the methodological problems inherent in investigation of uncommon modes of delivery. However, we conclude that water births in low risk women delivered by experienced professionals are as safe as normal vaginal deliveries. Labouring and delivering in water is associated with a reduction in length of labour and perineal trauma for primigravidae, and a reduction in analgesia requirements for all women.

OBJECTIVE:To quantify the risk and risk factors for cesarean delivery associated with medical and elective induction of labor in nulliparous women.

METHODS:A prospective cohort study was performed in nulliparous women at term with vertex singleton gestations who had labor induced at 2 obstetrical centers. Medical and elective indications and Bishop scores were recorded before labor induction. Obstetric and neonatal data were analyzed and compared with the results in women with a spontaneous onset of labor. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariable regression modeling.

RESULTS:A total of 1,389 women were included in the study. The cesarean delivery rate was 12.0% in women with a spontaneous onset of labor (n = 765), 23.4% in women undergoing labor induction for medical reasons (n = 435) (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.24; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.64-3.06), and 23.8% in women whose labor was electively induced (n = 189) (unadjusted OR 2.29; 95% CI 1.53-3.41). However, after adjusting for the Bishop score at admission, no significant differences in cesarean delivery rates were found among the 3 groups. A Bishop score of 5 or less was a predominant risk factor for a cesarean delivery in all 3 groups (adjusted OR 2.32; 95% CI 1.66-3.25). Other variables with significantly increased risk for cesarean delivery included maternal age of 30 years or older, body mass index of 31 or higher, use of epidural analgesia during the first stage of labor, and birth weight of 3,500 g or higher. In both induction groups, more newborns required neonatal care, more mothers needed a blood transfusion, and the maternal hospital stay was longer.

CONCLUSION:Compared with spontaneous onset of labor, medical and elective induction of labor in nulliparous women at term with a single fetus in cephalic presentation is associated with an increased risk of cesarean delivery, predominantly related to an unfavorable Bishop score at admission.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:II-2.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to study the impact of labor onset and delivery mode on the risk of severe postpartum hemorrhage. STUDY DESIGN: This was a population-based study of 307,415 mothers who were registered in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway from 1999-2004. RESULTS: Severe postpartum hemorrhage occurred in 1.1% of all mothers and in 2.1% of those mothers with previous cesarean section delivery (CS). Compared with spontaneous labor, hemorrhage risk was higher for induction (odds ratio [OR], 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56-1.88) and prelabor CS (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.84-2.29). The risk was 55% higher for emergency CS and half that for vaginal deliveries (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.43-0.53), compared with prelabor CS. The highest risk was for emergency CS after induction in mothers with previous CS (OR, 6.57; 95% CI, 4.25-10.13), compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery in mothers with no previous CS. CONCLUSION: Induction and prelabor CS should be practiced with caution because of the increased risk of severe postpartum hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To describe postpartum maternal morbidity associated with mode of delivery in term, singleton pregnancies. METHODS: The Magee Obstetric Medical and Infant database was examined for the years 1995 to 2000. Patients were grouped into 6 types of delivery mode: spontaneous vaginal delivery, operative vaginal delivery, primary cesarean delivery without trial of labor, primary cesarean delivery with trial of labor, repeat cesarean delivery without trial of labor, and repeat cesarean delivery with trial of labor. Multivariable logistic regression provided odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for morbidity by delivery mode adjusted for demographic characteristics and comorbidities. Spontaneous vaginal delivery was used as the referent group (odds ratio = 1). RESULTS: Of 32,834 subjects, 27,178 had vaginal delivery (operative = 4,908; spontaneous = 22,270) and 5,656 had cesarean delivery. Third- or fourth-degree lacerations occurred in 1,733 (7.8%) women who had spontaneous vaginal delivery compared with 1,098 (22.3%) who had operative vaginal delivery. Overall, 523 women (1.6%) had endometritis. Compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery, primary cesarean delivery with trial of labor conferred a 21.2-fold increased risk of endometritis (95% CI 15.4, 29.1). Even without trial of labor, women after primary cesarean delivery were 10.3 times more likely to develop endometritis (95% CI 5.9, 17.9) than after spontaneous vaginal delivery. The risk of transfusion was highest in women delivered by primary cesarean after labor, 4.2 times higher (95% CI 1.8, 10.1) than spontaneous vaginal delivery. The risk of pneumonia was 9.3 times higher (95% CI 3.4, 25.6) after repeat cesarean delivery with labor. Deep venous thromboses occurred in 15 (0.1%) after spontaneous vaginal delivery, 2 (0.04%) after operative vaginal delivery, and 12 (0.2%) after cesarean delivery. CONCLUSION: Compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery, cesarean delivery is associated with increased risks of endometritis, the need for transfusion, and pneumonia; however, these rates are lower than reported previously.

Post partum hemorrhage is a major problem that jeopardizes maternal health. Its prevention can save mothers' life postnatal, through early initiation of breast-feeding. So, the study aimed to explore the effect of early initiation of breast feeding on the amount of vaginal blood loss during the fourth stage of labor. A convenient sample of one hundred primiparae was selected from the delivery unit&post partum unit of El-Shatby Maternity University Hospital in Alexandria. The study subjects were divided equally into experimental group (early breast feeding group) and control group (late breast feeding group). Two tools were developed and used for data collection. A specially designed interview questionnaire was used during early first stage of labor to collect data about general characteristics of the study subjects. An observational checklist was used during the fourth stage of labor to collect data about uterine characteristics, number of feeds and the amount of blood loss. The early breast-feeding group started feeding immediately after placental delivery, while late breast feeding group started breast- feeding after the first two hours postnatally. The amounts of blood loss for both groups were calculated. The findings of the study revealed that early initiation&increased frequency of breast-feeding could decrease the amount of blood loss during the fourth stage of labor. Therefore, maternity and pediatric nurses have to encourage mothers to start breast-feeding early. They have to explain how breast-feeding is beneficial for both mother and child.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) (bleeding from the genital tract after childbirth) is a major cause of maternal mortality and disability, particularly in under-resourced areas. In these settings, poor nutrition, malaria and anaemia may aggravate the effects of PPH. In addition to the standard known strategies to prevent and treat PPH, there is a need for simple, non-expensive techniques which can be applied in low-resourced settings to prevent or treat PPH. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of uterine massage after birth and before or after delivery of the placenta, or both, to reduce postpartum blood loss and associated morbidity and mortality. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (March 2008), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library 2007, Issue 2) and PubMed (1966 to June 2007). SELECTION CRITERIA: All published, unpublished and ongoing randomised controlled trials comparing uterine massage alone or in addition to uterotonics before or after delivery of the placenta, or both, to non-massage. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Both authors extracted the data independently using the agreed form. MAIN RESULTS: One randomised controlled trial in which 200 women were randomised to receive uterine massage or no massage after active management of the third stage of labour. The numbers of women with blood loss more than 500 ml was small, with wide confidence intervals and no statistically significant difference (risk ratio (RR) 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16 to 1.67). There were no cases of retained placenta in either group. The mean blood loss was less in the uterine massage group at 30 minutes (mean difference (MD) -41.60, 95% CI -75.16 to -8.04) and 60 minutes after enrolment (MD -77.40, 95% CI -118.71 to -36.09 ml) . The need for additional uterotonics was reduced in the uterine massage group (RR 0.20, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.50). Two blood transfusions were administered in the control group. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The present review adds support to the 2004 joint statement of the International Confederation of Midwives and the International Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians on the management of the third stage of labour, that uterine massage after delivery of the placenta is advised to prevent PPH. However, due to the limitations of the one trial reviewed, trials with sufficient numbers to estimate the effects of sustained uterine massage with great precision, both with and in the absence of uterotonics, are needed.