The Highland experience: immersion in water in labour

Abstract

In September 1997, the most northerly labouring and birthing pool in Scotland was installed at Raigmore Maternity Unit. The decision to install the pool was made in response to local demand, and this raised a number of professional issues, the most important of which concerned the use of the pool in labour suite and the demand for water birth. An audit of the first two years of the use of the pool indicates variable use, influenced perhaps by conventional baths and obstetricians who do not support water birth. Eighty seven women used the pool in labour and two women gave birth to their babies in the pool. Of these, twenty women had their labours induced. The most common reason for women leaving the pool was to obtain further analgesia. Eighty two per cent of women and 79 per cent of midwives rated the pool very highly.