Outcome of women booked into an isolated general practice maternity unit over eight years

The outcome of pregnancy of 1303 women admitted for delivery (including those transferred after admission) at an isolated general practitioner maternity unit over the period 1978-85 was studied. The outcome following change of booking before admission was also assessed for the years 1982-85. The crude perinatal mortality rate was 1.5 per 1000 for all admissions between 1978 and 1985. Of the women admitted in 1978-85 7.4% were transferred after admission while for those booked at the unit in 1982-85 11.3% had their place of booking changed. A higher proportion of nulliparous women than multiparous women were transferred or had their place of booking changed. The main reasons for transfer after admission were delay in the first stage of labour (21.9%), spontaneous rupture of membranes not in labour (16.7%) and hypertension (15.6%), and for change of booking postmaturity (26.9%) and hypertension (16.4%).Sufficient information concerning risk of transfer and change of booking may now be available from studies of isolated general practice maternity units for pregnant women at low risk to make an informed choice of place for delivery.