Outcomes of Maternal and Newborn in Waterbirth; A Review of 3-Year Medical Records in a Natural Birth Center

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the effects of waterbirth on the maternal delivery process and its safety on the newborn babies. METHODS: This study is a retrospective study, analyzing the medical records of pregnant women who gave birth at a natural birthing center in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The study compared and analyzed a total of 1,907 medical records of pregnant women, composed of 539 women who used a birthing pool and 1,160 women who did not use a birthing pool from 2015 to 2017. The collected data were analyzed by the chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U-test and Fisher exact test using SPSS ver. 22.0. The results are shown in the table below. RESULTS: The cesarean section rate was lower in the birthing pool use group, compared to the non-birthing pool use group (p=0.038), with the significantly lower cesarean section rate in birthing pool use group among primigravida women in particular (p=0.002). The birthing pool use group also used oxytocin less frequently than the non-birthing pool use group (p=0.001) And especially in primigravida women, the second stage of delivery in birthing pool use group was found to be shorter than that of the non-birthing pool use group (p=0.045). There were no significant differences in the neonatal Apgar score and the neonatal intensive care unit admission rate between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: This study has its meaning as the first report in Korea that analyzes the effects of waterbirth on the maternal delivery process and its safety on the newborn babies.