Waterbirth: water temperature and bathing time--mother knows best!

The Frauenfeld Clinic for Obstetrics and Gynecology introduced waterbirths in 1991. This work examines whether guidelines for water temperature and bathing are actually necessary.

This 8-year prospective clinical study follows 10,775 births in a regional women's hospital (non-selected population). Neonatal and maternal body temperature and morbidity parameters were compared between land and waterbirths. A smaller study (n = 47) selectively focused on body temperature differences as influenced by bathing time and water temperature in waterbirths as compared to land births.

Neonatal and maternal birth and perinatal parameters, and body temperatures do not differ between water and land births, except at birth, when waterbearing temperatures were 36.9 degrees C vs. 36.3 degrees C on land. Neonatal rectal temperatures did not differ significantly between the two groups. Water temperature increased from the beginning of the bath (35.2 degrees C) to 35.7 degrees C, and fell at the end of the bath to 32.9 degrees C. Water temperature range: 23 degrees C to 38.9 degrees C. Bathing duration: 28 min. to 364 min.

Waterbirths pose no thermal risk. The parturient, with her "inborn code of body temperature regulation," regulates water temperature and bathing duration to ensure body temperatures of mother and child remain within the physiological range. Cumbersome guidelines for water temperature and bathing duration are therefore superfluous.