[Midwife-led labour in a Swiss hospital]

A midwife-led labour care model was introduced in a Swiss University Hospital. This new model enabled expectant mothers who had a low risk medical history to give birth with the support of only a midwife. The model has been evaluated as part of a pilot project in a comparative study. A quantitative-explorative design was chosen. Labour with only a midwife in comparison with the traditional presence of a doctor and a midwife resulted in fewer invasive procedures, while the outcome parameters were similar in both groups. The post partum hospital stay of the women in the midwife-only group was significantly shorter than in the midwife-and-doctor group. The midwife-only model appealed to a certain group of women and their partners who generally had a higher level of education. Women in both groups were highly satisfied with the midwifery care; the possibility of giving birth in hospital with the presence of a midwife alone was very much appreciated. Under an economic aspect the results of the study provide preliminary indications that delivery by a midwife alone involves lower costs and therefore increased income for the hospital in question.