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Birth outcomes in Warwick

During the last day at the Warwick workshop, I was given some of the birth outcome statistics for the unit. These were really encouraging, and demonstrate how midwives can work together to achieve better births for women. The Caesarean section rate has fallen from 24.5% tp 22.7% in the last year (the national average is 23%), the assisted birth rate is down from 13.1% to 11.8% and the normal birth rate, as a result, has risen to 65.6%, up from 62.4%. Homebirths are also increasing, with 3% of women giving birth in their homes, up from 2.6% the previous year.

The midwives in Warwick can be proud of their efforts, and I hope that they will be spurred onto even better outcomes, now that they have seen the impact they can make. The Caesarean rate is till way too high, but could be reduced by avoiding elective repeat caesareans, supporting VBAC and reducing inductions and augmentations. If they can use water and heat as substitutes for epidurals and limit the use of pethidine, both Caesarean and instrumental delivery rates will fall further.

I look forward to meeting some midwives from Warwick again in the future, and to seeing what they have achieved for this coming year. Perhaps a home birth rate a few percentage points higher?

Posted by andrea at April 18, 2005 08:45 PM