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Maternal and neonatal outcomes in birth centers versus hospitals among women with low‐risk pregnancies in Japan: A retrospective cohort study
Author(s) -
Kataoka Yaeko,
Masuzawa Yuko,
Kato Chiho,
Eto Hiromi
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
japan journal of nursing science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.363
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1742-7924
pISSN - 1742-7932
DOI - 10.1111/jjns.12171
Subject(s) - medicine , obstetrics , birth weight , apgar score , gestational age , odds ratio , retrospective cohort study , low birth weight , incidence (geometry) , logistic regression , pregnancy , multiple birth , population , genetics , physics , environmental health , pathology , optics , biology
Aim In order for low‐risk pregnant women to base birth decisions on the risks and benefits, they need evidence of birth outcomes from birth centers. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes of low‐risk women who gave birth in birth centers and hospitals in Japan. Methods The participants were 9588 women who had a singleton vaginal birth at 19 birth centers and two hospitals in Tokyo. The data were collected from their medical records, including their age, parity, mode of delivery, maternal position at delivery, duration of labor, intrapartum blood loss, perineal trauma, gestational weeks at birth, birth weight, Apgar score, and stillbirths. For the comparison of birth centers with hospitals, adjusted odds ratio s for the birth outcomes were estimated by using a logistic regression analysis. Results The number of women who had a total blood loss of >1 L was higher in the midwife‐led birth centers than in the hospitals but the incidence of perineal lacerations was lower. There were fewer infants who were born at the midwife‐led birth centers with Apgar scores of <7, compared to the hospitals. Conclusion This study was the first to compare important maternal and neonatal outcomes of birth centers and hospitals. Additional research, using matched baseline characteristics, could clarify the comparisons for maternal and neonatal outcomes.