Birth & Parenting News: Become an Informed Birth Consumer

Interventions Result in Longer Labor. A study in the September 2010 Obstetrics & Gynecology by Sarah Osmundson, MD et al, titled “Elective Induction Compared With Expectant Management in Nulliparous Women With a Favorable Cervix,” found that for first-time mothers with a favorable cervix for induction, the cesarean rate was comparable to first-time mothers who were expectantly managed. However, with induction, the labor was longer and required more interventions. This resulted in a longer hospital stay and use of health care resources, with no compelling evidence of improved outcomes for mothers or babies.

Inductions Increase Second Stage Labor Complications, Risks for Women. In the September 2010 Obstetrics & Gynecology, a study titled “Comparing the Second Stage in Induced and Spontaneous Labor,” by Vanitha Janakiraman, MD et al, looked at the duration of labor and rate of complications in both groups. Although women who were induced and had previously given birth did not have an increased risk of maternal or fetal complications during the second stage, women induced in their first pregnancy were found to have an increased risk of cesarean and postpartum hemorrhage when compared to primiparous women who had a spontaneous labor.

Fewer Women Face Trauma of Episiotomy. The MFCI discourages practices and procedures that are unsupported by scientific evidence, including episiotomies. Progress has been made in reducing the use of episiotomy in hospital births as concluded by authors Sallie S. Oliphant, MD et al in a report published in the October 2010 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The study found episiotomy rates have decreased by more than 75% from 1979 to 2006 in the article titled “Trends Over Time With Commonly Performed Obstetric and Gynecologic Inpatient Procedures.”

Comment: These reports demonstrate, time and time again, that birth seems to work best when we don’t mess with it. In the case of episiotomy, the standard of care and common practice have finally caught up with what the evidence — or more correctly stated — LACK OF EVIDENCE demonstrates. One can only wonder when the countless other common practices that increase risks for moms and babies with no corresponding improvement in outcomes will go the way of episiotomy.

Each Wednesday, our Birth & Parenting News blog highlights the latest news items, research results, consumer alerts, and legislative action alerts of interest to expectant and new parents and the professionals who work them.

Posted by Patty Brennan on December 22, 2010 • Filed under Birth & Parenting News
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