Waterbirth Works

Hot off the press!!! So excited to see ACOG has finally come to see waterbirth is a safe option for low risk
Mothers with trained professionals!!! https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(23)00604-X/fulltext?

Water birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis of maternal and neonatal outcomes This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to conduct a thorough and contemporary assessment of maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with water birth in comparison with land-based birth.

Objective: Investigate maternal and neonatal outcomes following waterbirth.

Design: Retrospective cohort study, with propensity score matching to address confounding.

Setting: Community births, United States.

Sample: Medical records-based registry data from low-risk births were used to create waterbirth and land birth groups (n = 17 530 each), propensity score-matched on >80 demographic and pregnancy risk covariables.

Methods: Logistic regression models compared outcomes between the matched waterbirth and land birth groups.

Main outcome measures: Maternal: immediate postpartum transfer to a hospital, any ge***al tract trauma, severe (3rd/4th degree) trauma, haemorrhage >1000 mL, diagnosed haemorrhage regardless of estimated blood loss, uterine infection, uterine infection requiring hospitalisation, any hospitalisation in the first 6 weeks. Neonatal: umbilical cord avulsion; immediate neonatal transfer to a hospital; respiratory distress syndrome; any hospitalisation, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, or neonatal infection in the first 6 weeks; and neonatal death.

Results: Waterbirth was associated with improved or no difference in outcomes for most measures, including neonatal death (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.56, 95% CI 0.31-1.0), and maternal or neonatal hospitalisation in the first 6 weeks (aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.81-0.92 and aOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90-0.99, respectively). Increased morbidity in the waterbirth group was observed for two outcomes only: uterine infection (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.05-1.48) (but not hospitalisation for infection) and umbilical cord avulsion (aOR 1.57, 95% CI 1.37-1.82). Our results are concordant with other studies: waterbirth is neither as harmful as some current guidelines suggest, nor as benign as some proponents claim.

Bovbjerg, M. L., Cheyney, M., & Caughey, A. B. (2022). Maternal and neonatal outcomes following waterbirth: a cohort study of 17 530 waterbirths and 17 530 propensity score-matched land births. BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 129(6), 950–958. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17009

Maternal and neonatal outcomes following waterbirth: a cohort study of 17,530 waterbirths and 17,530 propensity score-matched land births Investigate maternal and neonatal outcomes following waterbirthRetrospective cohort study, with propensity score matching to address confoundingCommunity births, United StatesMedical records-based registry data from low-risk births were used to create ...

Waterbirth is associated with a less painful childbirth, enhanced couples' intimacy, and positive feelings toward women's bodies and sexuality. In a qualitative, descriptive case study involving 21 participants, we examined the sexual experiences-during childbirth and postpartum-of women who had a waterbirth in a hospital environment. Women discussed their sexuality in the intrapartum and postpartum period after having a waterbirth in public or private hospitals. Two main themes were developed from the data analysis: 'women's sexual pleasure during waterbirth' and 'sexuality after childbirth'. Experiences included transcendence during waterbirth, a feeling that it represented a unique experience, and couples' more positive feelings about intimacy. The shared representations of women suggest that waterbirth can be a calming, joyful event for couples. During this process, they felt that it was a loving, shared event. In addition, after childbirth women experienced positive feelings toward their bodies and sexuality (including or**sm), as well as closer intimacy with their partners.

Camargo, J., Araújo, N., Catão, L., Sarubbi Junior, V., Silva, L. C., Nené, M., & Grande, M. C. (2021). Sexuality and childbirth: a qualitative analysis of women who had a waterbirth. Culture, health & sexuality, 23(7), 1006–1013.

Sexuality and childbirth: a qualitative analysis of women who had a waterbirth Waterbirth is associated with a less painful childbirth, enhanced couples’ intimacy, and positive feelings toward women’s bodies and sexuality. In a qualitative, descriptive case study involving 21...