Instrumental births are more common among women receiving private obstetric care

International attention has focused on increasing rates of caesarean sections without consideration of other obstetric interventions. Roberts et al (p 137) found that among women with first pregnancies at low risk of poor pregnancy outcome who gave birth in private hospitals, 34% had a forceps or vacuum delivery compared with 17% among public patients. No clinical reasons were apparent for these differences. The study was based on over 170  births in New South Wales, Australia, in 1996 and 1997. Information on the outcomes associated with the various birth options may influence women's choice about the type of obstetric care.


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Relevant Article

Rates for obstetric intervention among private and public patients in Australia: population based descriptive study
Christine L Roberts, Sally Tracy, and Brian Peat
BMJ 2000 321: 137-141. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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