Water birth

[2] A moderate to weak level of evidence indicates that water immersion during the first stage of childbirth reduces the pain of labour.

[2] Water birth may offer perineal support for the mother, and some theorize that this may decrease the risk of tearing and reduce the use of episiotomy.

The review reported that immersion during labour did not appear to increase the rate of infections for the mother or the baby, and Apgar scores for the newborn infant were similar to those of conventional births.

[11] The original circular birth pool used by Michel Odent, the originator of the concept of birthing pools, at Pithiviers hospital in France in the early 1980s was 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in diameter and 60 centimetres (24 in) deep, large enough to comfortably accommodate two people.

[14] A cohort study carried out in the UK of 73,229 women concluded that there was no association with adverse fetal or maternal outcomes.

[26][27][28] Water birth is not commonly available in hospitals in the United States, and American clinical opinion is generally skeptical of the practice.

[29] In a 2005 commentary, the Committee on Fetus and Newborn of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released an analysis of the scientific literature regarding underwater births.