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LETTERS: Zainab Kassim, Anne Greenough, and Maria Sellars Underwater birth and neonatal respiratory distress: Authors' reply BMJ 2005; 330: 1448 [Full text]

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Underwater birth - Are correct guideines followed?

Vernice C Nikodem   (17 June 2005)

Underwater birth - Are correct guideines followed? 17 June 2005
Vernice C Nikodem, Professor: Head of Postgraduate students University of the Western Cape Send response to journal: Re: Underwater birth - Are correct guideines followed?	There is NO evidence to show at this stage that women should or should not birth in water. An extensive review was done on all the randomised controlled trials (in addition for the purpose of my doctoral thesis did I look at comparison trials and anecdotal evidence of all deaths related to birth in water.) My concern is that the authors did not report whether they added salt in the water. Although not proven did we make a hypothetical statement during 1996 that by adding salt to the water could prevent"secondary drowning". It is important that woman should be aware that neonatal infections and the possibility of secondary drowning is a possible risk when they deliver in water, but it need to be emphasized that to date there is no evidence to advice woman not to birth in water. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1996 Mar;103(3):202-8. Birth under water--to breathe or not to breathe. Hofmeyr GJ, Nikodem VC, De Jagert M. Competing interests: None, But I did a PhD on A randomised control trial evaluating the effects of water on birth