Low-risk pregnant women urged to avoid hospital births

NHS guidance from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence suggests 45% of births ‘unsuitable’ for labour wards

Women with low-risk pregnancies are to be encouraged to have non-hospital births under new NHS guidelines, which could see almost half of mothers-to-be planning to deliver their baby away from traditional labour wards.

Guidance from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says that midwife-led care has been shown to be safer for women and recommends that all women with low-risk pregnancies – 45% of the total – should be advised that giving birth in a midwifery-led unit, whether attached to a hospital or not, is “particularly suitable”.

Continue reading...



from Pregnancy | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1ydjcx8