Original Investigation

The effects of immersion in water on labor, birth and newborn and comparison with epidural analgesia and conventional vaginal delivery.

10.5152/jtgga.2012.03

  • Leyla Mollamahmutoğlu
  • Özlem Uzunlar
  • Şebnem Özyer
  • Filiz Akın Su
  • Rana Karayalçın
  • Necati Hançerlioğlu
  • Özlem Moraloğlu
  • Uğur Dilmen

Received Date: 15.09.2011 Accepted Date: 22.11.2011 J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc 2012;13(1):45-49 PMID: 24627674

Objective:

To document the practice of labour in water, to assess the effects of water immersion during labor and/or birth (labour stages 1, 2 and 3) on maternal, fetal and neonatal wellbeing and to compare the outcomes and safety with conventional vaginal deliveries and deliveries with epidural analgesia.

Material and Methods:

Two-hundred and seven women electing for waterbirth (n=207) were compared with women having conventional vaginal deliveries (n=204) and vaginal deliveries with epidural analgesia (n=191). Demographic data, length of 1st, 2nd and 3rd stage of labor, induction and episiotomy requirements, perineal trauma, apgar scores, NICU requirements and VAS scores were noted.

Results:

The 1st stage of labor was shorter in waterbirths compared with vaginal delivery with epidural analgesia but the 2nd and 3rd stage of labor were shortest in patients having waterbirth compared with conventional vaginal delivery and vaginal delivery with epidural analgesia. Patients having waterbirth had less requirement for induction and episiotomy but had more perineal laceration. All women having waterbirths had reduced analgesia requirements and had lower scores on VAS. There was no difference in terms of NICU admission between the groups. Apgar scores were comparable in both groups. There were no neonatal deaths or neonatal infections during the study.

Conclusion:

The study demonstrates the advantages of labor in water in terms of reduction in 2nd and 3rd stage of labor, reduction in pain and obstetric intervention such as induction or amniotomy.

Keywords: Water birth, analgesia, neonatal outcome