Comment & Controversy

Review of data on water birth
was biased

“IS THE EVIDENCE ON WATER BIRTH JUST TOO MURKY?” JANELLE YATES (AUGUST)

I found the summary of the evidence of the dangers and safety of water birth to be purposely skewed toward findings of dangers, while ignoring the wealth of evidence supporting its safety. The author quoted the 2009 Cochrane review and accurately included the conclusion that water immersion during labor reduces the use of analgesia, but skipped right over the evidence of lack of danger to the newborn. That evidence includes no differences in Apgar score, NICU admission, or neonatal infection rate between infants born in water and those born on land.¹