Childbirth: Risks and reality
I have no doubt some mums-to-be will be unnerved by research which suggests that giving birth out of office hours is more risky than during the day. According to a study of more than a million Scottish births, babies born at night or at the weekend have a small additional risk of dying.
The deaths happened among otherwise healthy babies who were starved of oxygen because of some major complication during labour or delivery. It's worth stressing such deaths are unusual - about four in every 10,000 births. Across the UK as a whole, the additional level of risk would be equivalent to about 50-100 infant deaths per year.
The researchers did not have information on the exact care being provided so had to speculate as to why it's safer to give birth Monday to Friday between 9am-5pm. There will inevitably be more specialist staff on duty during weekdays. The researchers suggest that improved access to operating theatres, senior clinicians and higher levels of staffing round the clock could save lives.
It's worth setting such risks in context. The past 30 years has seen a steady decline in mortality rates both at birth and in the first year of life.
There should be no room for complacency. A study earlier this year in the suggested that although maternal mortality in the UK remains low - 8.2 deaths per 100,000 live births - it is significantly higher than countries like Italy, Australia and Sweden.
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