Water births give ‘obvious benefits’ for moms and infants, with fewer difficulties, according to the available research.
The use of a birthing pool to aid in relaxation and pain reduction during labor constitutes a water birth.
In some cases, the woman exits the pool during the latter stages of labor, while others remain in the pool for the birth and bring the infant to the surface to begin breathing.
Researchers analyzed 36 studies involving over 150,000 women to assess the interventions required during and after labor between the two types of water birth and routine care without the use of a birthing pool.
Analysis indicated that water birth, regardless of whether the mother gave birth in or outside of the pool, offers “obvious benefits for women.”
Compared to normal care, water births dramatically reduced the usage of epidurals and injectable opioids and were associated with less postpartum discomfort and excessive bleeding.
In addition to boosting maternal happiness and the likelihood of an intact perineum, water births were associated with a higher incidence of umbilical cord rupture, according to the researchers.
The approach was regarded as safe as normal treatment and did not raise cesarean section rates.
The researchers from Oxford Brookes University wrote in the journal BMJ Open: ‘Water immersion provides benefits for the mother and newborn when employed in the obstetric environment, making it a low-tech intervention for improving care quality and patient satisfaction.
Without raising risk, water immersion is an excellent strategy for reducing labor pain.
They stated that clinicians should avoid pushing on the umbilical cord when raising the newborn to the surface of the water since this could explain the increased risk of umbilical cord rupture in water birth situations.
The authors noted that, even though the majority of the included studies were done in obstetric facilities, additional study is necessary to examine the consequences of water birth in a midwife-led unit or at home.
Clare Livingstone, the professional policy adviser at the Royal College of Midwives, commented on the research, stating, ‘This is excellent news for women who choose or are considering a water birth.’
‘Previous research has outlined the benefits for women, and our study lends credence to those findings. Additionally, it is positive because it provides women with additional information when determining how to give birth.
Women in the United Kingdom are increasingly able to give birth in water, but not everywhere. The current problem is to guarantee that this option is available to all women, regardless of location.
In 1993, the Department of Health recommended water births as a method of pain management, at which point their popularity began to increase.
Since then, they have been on the rise, with approximately 10% of British women giving birth through this method.
However, it is less prevalent in the United States. This is due to a lack of clear information regarding its hazards and advantages, which prevents health experts from recommending it.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Fearne Cotton, and Pamela Anderson all chose water deliveries.
What Is an Aquatic Birth?
When a baby is born in a deep bath or birthing pool, this is known as water birth.
However, no pain alleviation is provided.
The water can assist support the mother’s weight, making it easier to move around and feel more in control throughout labor. It can alleviate back pain and aid in vaginal stretching during childbirth.
Water birth is not an option for all births. A breach or premature infant, as well as twins or triplets, cannot be delivered in water. Pre-eclampsia, infection, high temperature, and active herpes, among other conditions, are incompatible with pregnancy.
Babies cannot drown when they are born in water because they come from the womb, where they subsist in fluid, directly into the pool’s water. Once it has taken its first breath upon being raised to the surface, it cannot be submerged again.
