Clocks in delivery wards may not be sufficiently accurate to validate birth of “millennium babies”
BMJ 1999; 319 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.319.7204.260 (Published 24 July 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;319:260
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Editor
Round and Kennea make a valid point about the accuracy of delivery
ward clocks. An assessment of the coherence of our own timepieces produced
similar results. Our concern stems from a medico-legal concern, however,
rather than one regarding "millenium babies".
We are frequently reminded to write contemporaneous notes, dating and
timing each entry, paying particular attention to the timing of important
events. If different personnel record such events using different hospital
clocks and, to introduce further potential sources of error, their own
watches - a retrospective assessment of the notes may mislead the reviewer
as to the exact course of events. If the reviewer is a plaintiff or
barrister, errors of time keeping may prove expensive, particularly in
obstetrics.
We have concluded that the only solution is a system of slave clocks for
the delivery suite, driven by a central "master", the latter's accuracy
constantly corrected to Greenwich Mean Time by satellite signal.
Such systems are not expensive, may be medico-legally protective and
will additionally automatically avoid the widespread system of finally
getting all the hospital clocks put forward, just before they are due to
be put back.
Lawrence J Roberts
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Margaret Hornsby
Family Services Manager
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Scunthorpe and Goole Hospitals Trust
Cliff Gdns
Scunthorpe
N Lincs DN15 7BH
1 Round J, Kennea N, Clocks in delivery wards may not be
sufficiently accurate to validate birth of "millenium babies". BMJ 1999;
319:260.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Those hoping for a "millenium baby" on 1st January 2000 have a bigger
problem than the accuracy of labour ward clocks (ref. 1): an imperfect
grasp of counting. However seductive the change of first digit from 1 to
2, the third millenium does not begin until 2001 since the AD era starts
with year 1. Years, like days of the month, are perceived as discrete
items and counted from one, unlike a person's age which is continuous and
starts at zero. Indeed, the concept and symbol of zero did not exist in
Europe in AD 532 when BC and AD were established (ref. 2). Try counting
out £10 to someone in £1 coins as "One, two, three . . . nine" and stop.
The recipient rightly feels deprived of full measure; why should the
second millenium (1001 - 2000) be treated similarly? There remain 17
months in which to rectify the clocks.
Ref. 1. Round J, Kennea N. Clocks in delivery wards may not be
sufficiently accurate to validate birth of "millenium babies". BMJ
1999;319:260.
Ref. 2. Richards EG. Mapping Time: the Calendar and its History.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Sir,
Round and Kennea make a valid point about the accuracy of delivery ward
clocks. An assessment of the coherence of our own timepieces produced
similar results. Our concern stems from a medico-legal concern, however,
rather than one regarding "millenium babies".
We are frequently reminded to write contemporaneous notes, dating and
timing each entry, paying particular attention to the timing of important
events. If different personnel record such events using different hospital
clocks and, to introduce further potential sources of error, their own
watches - a retrospective assessment of the notes may mislead the reviewer
as to the exact course of events. If the reviewer is a plaintiff or
barrister, errors of time keeping may prove expensive, particularly in
obstetrics.
We have concluded that the only solution is a system of slave clocks for
the delivery suite, driven by a central "master", the latter's accuracy
constantly corrected to Greenwich Mean Time by satellite signal.
Such systems are not expensive, may be medico-legally protective and
will additionally automatically avoid the widespread system of finally
getting all the hospital clocks put forward, just before they are due to
be put back.
Lawrence J Roberts
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Margaret Hornsby
Family Services Manager
1. Round J, Kennea N, Clocks in delivery wards may not be
sufficiently accurate to validate birth of "millenium babies". BMJ 1999;
319:260.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Scunthorpe and Goole Hospitals Trust
Cliff Gdns
Scunthorpe
N Lincs
DN15 7BH
Competing interests: No competing interests
Millennium babies
Reliable contraception has now given women control of family planning
and, although this is usually considered a benefit, it may work against
us. The fear that many couples wish to have a baby on the first day of the
new millennium has aroused commentators1 and obstetricians2. We carried
out a survey of potential millennium mothers at Wakefield where nearly
2000 babies are born each year. We estimated that women due to deliver on
1st January would be seen at hospital in mid July. To capture all
potential millennium mothers, women attending for a first antenatal visit
during June, July, and August 1999 were surveyed. Each was asked to
complete a questionnaire about pregnancy planning and wishes for delivery.
A total of 339 questionnaires were returned, representing 75% of 451
women who had booked in the community four weeks earlier. Previous years'
bookings were 495 during the same period in 1997 and 434 women in 1998.
Eighty eight per cent of respondents were sure of the date of the last
menstrual period (LMP) (n=211) or know it to within a few days (n=71).
Twelve per cent (n=39) had no idea of their LMP, excluding them from the
group who planned pregnancy. Fifty nine per cent planned their pregnancy
but only two women timed conception so that the baby would be born on 1st
January 2000 (table). Similar numbers expressed a preference for a birth
date in 1999 (n=140) or in 2000 (n=120).
No. of women in study. Only 0.6% of women who were surveyed planned to have a millennium baby
When asked for a preference, 99% chose hospital (n=329) over home
delivery (n=3). If given the choice of mode of delivery, 95% would opt for
a vaginal delivery (n=312). Nulliparous women (n=173) had a slightly
stronger preference (6%) for Caesarean section (n=10) than multipara
(n=6/163,4%).
Of the cohort of women with planned pregnancies and due to deliver
within six weeks of 1st January 2000, only one in a hundred timed
conception to give birth on the first day of the new millennium. The media
hype appears to have failed and this was reflected by the comments of the
participants. Five women said that they did not wish to deliver near the
new year, of whom three planned their pregnancies to avoid having a
millennium baby. The proportion of planned pregnancies was twice as high
as in a recent survey of female students.3
In studies of female health professionals, 31% of obstetricians and
4% of midwives4 preferred delivery by Caesarean section. Our results
showed that unselected mothers shared the midwives' desire for vaginal
delivery. Overall, just 2% of women either booked for home delivery or
expressed a desire to do so. Those who would have preferred home delivery
commented on the lack of available support. Women's overriding concern was
for support during childbirth5, and perhaps they felt that the dawn of the
new millennium would overshadow the birth of a baby.
Michael J Gannon, MRCOG
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Pinderfields Hospital,
Wakefield WF1 4DG
Leslie Tay
Student
The University of Leeds,
Leeds LS2 9LN
Correspondence: lesliet@hotmail.com
References
1. Laurance J. Doctors attack race for millennium baby. Independent 23
March 1998.
2. Haslett E, Urquhart J, Mitchell A, Porteous M. Millennium babies
[letter]. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1999;106:1000-1.
3. REDRESS. National Union of Students 21 September 1999.
4. Dickson MJ, Willett M. Midwives would prefer a vaginal delivery
[letter]. BMJ 1999; 319:1008.
5. Scott KD, Berkowitz G, Klaus M. A comparison of intermittent and
continuous support during labour: A meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynaecol
1999;180:1054-9.
Competing interests: 451 midwife bookings338 questionnaires returned262 know last menstrual period198 planned pregnancy2 planned millennium baby