Table 2.
Outcomes
| Freestanding midwifery unit (%) | Obstetric unit (%) | RR (95% CI) | p Value | |
| Primary outcomes | ||||
| Apgar score <7 after 5 min | 5 (0.6) | 5 (0.6) | 1 (0.3 to 3.4) | 1.0000 |
| Caesarean section | 19 (2.3) | 34 (4.0) | 0.6 (0.3 to 0.9) | 0.0400 |
| Secondary perinatal outcomes | ||||
| Apgar score <9 after 5 min | 15 (1.8) | 20 (2.4) | 0.8 (0.4 to 1.5) | 0.4996 |
| Apgar score <7 after 1 min | 22 (2.6) | 25 (3.0) | 0.9 (0.5 to 1.6) | 0.7709 |
| Neonatal asphyxia | 27 (3.2) | 41 (4.9) | 0.7 (0.4 to 1.1) | 0.1143 |
| Neonatal admittance to NICU | 28 (3.3) | 42 (5.0) | 0.7 (0.4 to 1.1) | 0.1143 |
| Neonatal stay in NICU >48 h | 14 (1.7) | 15 (1.8) | 0.9 (0.5 to 1.9) | 1.0000 |
| Neonatal readmission hospital 0–28 days postpartum | 26 (3.1) | 35 (4.2) | 0.7 (0.4 to 1.1) | 0.1480 |
| Child live-born | 839 (100) | 839 (100) | ||
| Perinatal/neonatal death | 1* | 0 | ||
| Secondary maternal outcomes | ||||
| Abnormal fetal heart rate leading to action | 34 (4.1) | 98 (11.7) | 0.3 (0.2 to 0.5) | 0.0000 |
| Dystocia in labour | 88 (10.5) | 234 (27.9) | 0.4 (0.3 to 0.5) | 0.0000 |
| Intrapartum fetal–pelvic complications† | 3 (0.4) | 16 (1.9) | 0.2 (0.05 to 0.6) | 0.0044 |
| Shoulder dystocia | 3 (0.4) | 12 (1.4) | 0.3 (0.1 to 0.9) | 0.0352 |
| Meconium-stained amniotic fluid | 136 (16.2) | 148 (17.6) | 0.9 (0.7 to 1.1) | 0.4004 |
| Occipital posterior presentation at birth‡ | 13 (1.6) | 28 (3.3) | 0.5 (0.3 to 0.9) | 0.0201 |
| Postpartum haemorrhage >500 ml | 29 (3.5) | 68 (8.1) | 0.4 (0.3 to 0.7) | 0.0001 |
| Postpartum haemorrhage >1000 ml | 11 (1.3) | 14 (1.7) | 0.8 (0.4 to 1.7) | 0.6900 |
| Intact perineum | 514 (61.3) | 466 (55.5) | 1.1 (1.02 to 1.2) | 0.0142 |
| First-/second-degree tear | 290 (34.6) | 337 (40.2) | 0.9 (0.8 to 0.97) | 0.0154 |
| Third-/fourth-degree tears | 19 (2.3) | 24 (2.9) | 0.8 (0.4 to 1.4) | 0.5224 |
| Readmission /outpatient visit 0–28 days postpartum | 24 (2.9) | 40 (4.8) | 0.6 (0.4 to 1.0) | 0.0599 |
| Discharge <6 h postpartum | 106 (12.6) | 191 (22.8) | 0.6 (0.5 to 0.7) | 0.0000 |
| Severe maternal morbidity | 0 | 1§ | ||
*
The infant was born with severe diaphramic hernia, not detected by ultrasound screening at 19.4 weeks.
†
Including diagnosis for: abnormal maternal pelvis, cephalopelvic disproportion and failed ventouse delivery.
‡
Deliveries by caesarean section excluded from this analysis.
§
Uterine rupture followed by peripartum hysterectomy in a multipara having epidural analgesia and oxytocin augmentation.