CARDIFF, Wales – A comprehensive study conducted by researchers at Cardiff University has found that giving birth in a water bath does not increase the risk of complications for either the baby or the mother.
This finding is based on an extensive analysis of 73,229 records from low-risk pregnancies utilizing water pools during labor, collected from 26 NHS organizations in England and Wales between 2015 and 2022.
The research team, led by Professor Julia Sanders, a clinical midwifery expert at Cardiff University, focused on several critical outcomes to assess the safety of water births.
These included the rate of severe perineal tears in mothers, the number of babies requiring antibiotics or respiratory support in the neonatal ward, and the incidence of neonatal mortality.
The results revealed that the risks to both mothers and babies were no higher for water births compared to traditional births outside of water.
“Water births are a safe alternative for women with uncomplicated pregnancies,” stated Professor Sanders. “In the UK, around 60,000 women use a birth pool or bath for pain relief during labor each year. Our research provides reassurance that these births do not carry extra risks.”
Water births currently account for about 9p.c of the nearly 600,000 births in the NHS annually.
Based on these findings, clinical guidelines recommend offering all expectant mothers the option of a water birth.
Peter Brocklehurst, Emeritus Professor of Women’s Health at the Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit, emphasized the study’s significance: “Given that 10p.c of women use immersion in water as pain relief during labor, this study’s results will impact thousands of women in the UK and many more globally where water births are common practice.”
The study also received endorsements from prominent figures in neonatal and pediatric care.
Prof Chris Gale, a consultant neonatologist at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, highlighted the importance of the findings: “Many pediatricians and neonatologists worry about the potential risks of water births for babies, but this study provides convincing evidence that water births are safe for women with low-risk pregnancies.”
Water births offer a tranquil and less painful birthing experience for many women, and this research confirms that these benefits do not come at the cost of increased risk.
As the medical community continues to support the use of water births, expectant mothers can feel more confident in choosing this method for their deliveries.
