Clinical study of 84 cases of water birth

Abstract

Objective To investigate the differences between water delivery and the traditional mode of delivery in the birth process,the degree of pain,soft tissue injury,and the neonate birth status.Methods From April 2010 to September 2011,84 pregnant women with water delivery were enrolled in the water birth group and another 92 pregnant women with natural birth were enrolled in the control group.There were no significant differences in the age,gestational weeks of pregnant women and the weight of neonate in the two groups (P ＞ 0.05).Results Water birth group has superior advantage to the control group in the time of birth process,labor pain,laceration of birth canal,and there were significant differences (P ＜ 0.05).But there was no significant difference in the outcomes of the neonate between the two group (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Water birth has the superiority of shortening the stage of labor,relieving labor pain,reducing soft tissue injury,and is a safe and comfortable natural delivery mode. Key words: Water birth; Birth process; Labor pain; Laceration of birth canal; Apgar scale