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. 2023 Feb 27;195(8):E292–E299. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.220453

Table 4:

Secondary outcomes — descriptive statistics and adjusted relative risks comparing midwives with family physicians and obstetricians (95% confidence intervals)

Risk score No. (%) of midwife MRPs No. (%) of family physician MRPs No. (%) of obstetrician MRPs Midwife compared with family physician Midwife compared with obstetrician
Numerator/denominator N RR (95% CI)* N RR (95% CI)*
Labour induction with oxytocin
 Low risk 2986/46 632 (6.4) 13 859/132 309 (10.5) 10 758/76 694 (14.0) 178 941 0.609 (0.582–0.638) 123 326 0.474 (0.452–0.497)
 Moderate risk 1898/15 437 (12.3) 8559/51 519 (16.6) 9411/77 142 (12.2) 66 956 0.741 (0.701–0.783) 92 579 0.994 (0.941–1.051)
 High risk 198/1082 (18.3) 1089/5851 (18.6) 1541/18 390 (8.4) 6933 0.972 (0.827–1.142) 19 472 2.202 (1.878–2.581)
 All 5082/63 151 (8.0) 23 507/189 679 (12.4) 21 710/172 226 (12.6) 252 830 0.644 (0.622–0.667) 235 377 0.622 (0.600–0.644)
Assisted vaginal delivery (vacuum, forceps or both)
 Low risk 2600/46 632 (5.6) 15 985/132 309 (12.1) 11 316/76 694 (14.8) 178 941 0.463 (0.440–0.486) 123 326 0.408 (0.388–0.430)
 Moderate risk 788/15 437 (5.1) 5106/51 519 (9.9) 5482/77 142 (7.1) 66 956 0.520 (0.476–0.568) 92 579 0.732 (0.670–0.800)
 High risk 51/1082 (4.7) 393/5851 (6.7) 884/18 390 (4.8) 6933 0.676 (0.476–0.959) 19 472 1.031 (0.734–1.448)
 All 3439/63 151 (5.4) 21 484/189 679 (11.3) 17 682/172 226 (10.3) 252 830 0.477 (0.457–0.498) 235 377 0.524 (0.501–0.547)
Spontaneous vaginal birth
 Low risk 40 676/46 632 (87.2) 100 153/132 309 (75.7) 32 902/76 694 (42.9) 178 941 1.135 (1.129–1.141) 123 326 1.919 (1.892–1.945)
 Moderate risk 12 253/15 437 (79.4) 33 085/51 519 (64.2) 18 753/77 142 (24.3) 66 956 1.265 (1.248–1.282) 92 579 3.846 (3.758–3.936)
 High risk 620/1082 (57.3) 2610/5851 (44.6) 2723/18 390 (14.8) 6933 1.366 (1.259–1.481) 19 472 4.529 (4.163–4.927)
 All 53 549/63 151 (84.8) 135 848/189 679 (71.6) 54 378/172 226 (31.6) 252 830 1.189 (1.182–1.196) 235 377 2.882 (2.838–2.926)
VBAC
 Low risk 864/1013 (85.3) 1183/1506 (78.6) 669/1299 (51.5) 2519 1.101 (1.049–1.155) 2312 1.716 (1.575–1.869)
 Moderate risk 1943/2353 (82.6) 3659/4659 (78.5) 2447/4545 (53.8) 7012 1.063 (1.030–1.096) 6898 1.584 (1.499–1.674)
 High risk 167/213 (78.4) 525/685 (76.6) 524/901 (58.2) 898 1.027 (0.928–1.137) 1114 1.388 (1.238–1.557)
 All 2974/3579 (83.1) 5367/6850 (78.4) 3640/6745 (54.0) 10 429 1.072 (1.045–1.099) 10 324 1.590 (1.513–1.671)
Third- or fourth-degree perineal tears
 Low risk 1674/28 554 (5.9) 4708/77 367 (6.1) 2941/31 814 (9.2) 105 921 0.964 (0.901–1.031) 60 368 0.650 (0.605–0.699)
 Moderate risk 545/8551 (6.4) 1470/24 877 (5.9) 1263/16 755 (7.5) 33 428 1.107 (0.984–1.245) 25 306 0.910 (0.807–1.026)
 High risk 22/407 (5.4) 85/1705 (5.0) 153/2219 (6.9) 2112 1.136 (0.651–1.982) 2626 0.936 (0.550–1.593)
 All 2241/37 512 (6.0) 6263/103 949 (6.0) 4357/50 788 (8.6) 141 461 0.993 (0.937–1.053) 88 300 0.703 (0.661–0.747)
Breast- or chest-feeding initiation at birth
 Low risk 30 137/46 545 (64.7) 75 160/131 746 (57.0) 34 509/76 461 (45.1) 178 291 1.134 (1.122–1.146) 123 006 1.429 (1.409–1.448)
 Moderate risk 9822/15 350 (64.0) 26 003/50 989 (51.0) 30 397/76 744 (39.6) 66 339 1.267 (1.243–1.291) 92 094 1.664 (1.632–1.697)
 High risk 567/1057 (53.6) 2117/5704 (37.1) 4969/18 207 (27.3) 6761 1.464 (1.345–1.594) 19 264 2.000 (1.848–2.165)
 All 40 526/62 952 (64.4) 103 280/188 439 (54.8) 69 875/171 412 (40.8) 251 391 1.180 (1.169–1.191) 234 364 1.618 (1.599–1.637)

Note: CI = confidence interval, MRP = most responsible provider, RR = relative risk, VBAC = vaginal birth after cesarean.

*

Adjusted for parity, maternal residence, history of mental health condition, substance use during pregnancy, and antenatal hospital admissions (see Table 2).

Denominator includes people with a previous cesarean scar who were identified as eligible for VBAC or eligibility is unknown or not documented, and current delivery was singleton, vertex presentation. Denominator excludes people with a delivery episode and a history of cesarean who were not eligible for VBAC per the chart or people with a previous scar and unknown or not documented VBAC eligibility who did not have a singleton vertex pregnancy.

Analysis is restricted to those with a vaginal birth.