New NICE guidelines on birth

Nurturing Birth are delighted to see the revised NICE guidelines about Intrapartum care.
Particular changes in the guidelines have been made around women choosing place of birth, recognising that home is particularly suitable for low-risk multips (women who have given birth before) – that the rate of intervention is lower and outcome for the baby no different compared to an obstetric unit. Nurturing Birth recognizes that the new guidelines are in direct response to the research evidence in the 2011 Birthplace Cohort Study of over 64,000 fit and healthy women in the UK, birthing at home or in obstetric units. For first babies there was a slightly higher risk when born at home 9.3/1,000 compared to 5.3/1,000.
Commissioners and Providers have been told to ensure that all settings are made available for women to choose from, including home birth. Providers, senior staff and all healthcare professionals should ensure that in all birth settings there is a culture of respect for each woman as an individual undergoing a significant and emotionally intense life experience, so that the woman is in control, is listened to and is cared for with compassion, and that appropriate informed consent is sought. Senior staff should demonstrate, through their own words and behaviour, appropriate ways of relating to and talking about women and their birth companion(s), and of talking about birth and the choices to be made when giving birth.
There is a change in the recommendations so that fetal monitoring not be carried out on low-risk women in suspected or established labour as part of the initial assessment, and that any decision made about the woman’s care in labour should not be done on the monitor findings alone.
And, new recommendations that if a woman requests delayed cord clamping (over five minutes) that her choice should be supported.
For the full guidelines visit http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG190