Time of delivery--effect on obstetric outcome: a retrospective study

This retrospective study involving 3,896 births is performed to see if there is any association between time of delivery and feto-maternal outcome. 34 pc of all deliveries occurred in the four-hour period 2000 hours to 2400 hours. Generally, there were more unbooked women arriving during the night. The higher caesarean section rate during the day time is probably related to the number of elective procedures performed during this time. This study, however, failed to confirm others which demonstrate a poorer outcome during the night infant outcome, in fact tended to be worse during the period 0800 hours to 2000 hours, and this was particularly so for the women delivering between 1600 and 2000 hours. Implications for reorganisation of the mid-wifery staff are discussed.