1st Birth Statistics

[Rochwen]

I've just been reading the forceps vs ventouse thread and have thus been wondering just how often intervention is needed during first births.

So, let's start a poll.

In my NHS ante-natal class there were 9 women (including myself).

3 c/s
2 forceps assisted births
3 ventouse assisted births
1 non-instrumental birth

In my NCT ante-natal class there were 6 women.
2 c/s
1 forceps assisted births
3 ventouse assisted births

I'm no expert but it seems just from this small sample that the odds of having a totally non-assisted birth for your first child are very small. We can't all have been just unlucky.

The hosptial concerned is in Scotland and about average in Scotland in c/s etc.

I'll be interested what the stats were in your ante-natal groups and/or just your own experience for your first birth.

In my NCT class there were 5 women:

1 c/s (not planned)
1 induction (4 days of interventions)
1 drip to speed things up after 24 hours in hospital then ventouse
1 ventouse with gas and air
and me - so quick I didn't have time for anything but the TENS - by the time I got on the bed for the midwife to have a look at me she said (from about 3 feet away) "ok I can see your baby's head"!!

Did not go to classes.

My birth had no intevention, although I think i was borderline for CS if blood pressure had went any higher (it was through the roof) plus I was not allowed to move off my back and had monitor round my bump at all times (still not sure why, was totally out of it on the gas and air!)

Didn't go to antenatal classes either time
had a home birth, no intervention both times
just gas and air both times
no stitches first time, several 2nd time
was in London first time, Bristol second time

There's a group of 10 mums I know with children around DS's age. There are now also 9 small brothers and sisters.

I don't know about how much intervention there was for all of them. but I am fairly surprised there haven't been any CS deliveries. One of the first births was an undiagnosed breech, which I think was delivered in theatre, but was unassisted.

My first birth was a forceps delivery, as DSs heart rate was falling and he needed to come out quickly.

Did the NHS ante-natal classes (approx 12 of us) but only stayed in touch with one couple.

Me - unassisted birth (but did have an episiotomy)

Friend - assisted (ventouse iirc)

My NCT class:

1 c-section (too much fluid)
1 ventouse
3 vaginal births with no assistance
2 unknowns (one woman only came to one class and another wasn't into disclosure)

Two of my friends just had their first babies.

One with ventouse,
the other by c/s.

This is shocking and horrifying, am feeling very lucky and privileged to have had two lovely births.

Have a look at www.birthchoiceuk.com - it is a couple of years out-of-date (I think the stats are from 2005)

I looked at this as I live between 2 maternity hospitals in Scotland and I couldn't decide which one to choose.

I was pretty shocked that the CS rates are above national average at both hospitals, so it didn't really help my decision!

This is my 1st pg and I can't help thinking that hospitals just "whip" the babies out by CS if they think it's taking too long.... Please tell me I'm wrong!!

8 in our NCT class:

2 elective c/s (breech)
1 emergency c/s
2 ventouse/forceps assisted
3 straightforward deliveries, no interventions (inc 1 homebirth - me )

These were all first babies.

of the 6 that I know of in my NCT class -

1 planned cs (breech baby)
2 assisted - one was me
3 natural (one was home birth)

btw - any body else had "failed" ventouse followed by forceps? Ventouse pinged off my baby's head and flew across the room so they had to wade in with forceps. Poor wee soul had a very deformed head for first few days of life!

NCT class. Five of us

1 forceps delivery resulting in surgery for 3rd degree tear.

4 emergency c-sections!!

These stats are pretty scary! Does anyone know where you can find out the stats for your hospital?

Helbo, the doctor delivering my dd couldn't get the ventouse to stick to her head. It took 3 attempts. I remember looking down and seeing the doctor flapping a bit and saying 'it won't stay on it keeps coming off' It finally stayed on but it took a hell of a tug to deliver her head. When do they use ventouse and when do they use forceps? Always wondered...anyone?

unfortunately we didnt stay in tough after ante natal classes but from people i know:

7 people

2 cs emergency
4 unassisted (one suddenly on bathroom floor!!)
1 forceps
these are from various hospitals / birthing units. i was in a midwife led unit and the care there was FANTASTIC!!!! i read in a magazine that its the knd of place you'd pay 1000s for in london! i'm very lucky, even now 2 months on i still think back and would love to do it all over agian!!!

bump

4 of us from antenatal classes that were booked into the MW-led birthing centre:
1 emergency C-section
1 ventouse (me)
1 induction that went on for days
1 "natural" birth, but she laboured for too long in the MW-led unit and had to be transferred to the high-risk unit. When there she managed to deliver without instruments, but she did have an episiotomy.
So not one of us managed to deliver in the birthing centre!

A friend just had her first baby with forceps.

me - ventouse and episiotomy

plus threat/promise of forceps if it didnt work

In my class of 7

1 planned c/s
1 emergency c/s
2 ventouse
3 unassisted

8 in my NCT class.

1 elective section (placenta praevia)
3 emergency sections (1 foetal distress, 2 failure to progress)
1 ventouse
1 failed ventouse followed by forceps (and 3rd degree tear)
2 'normal' (but both had episiotomies and 1 had lots of panic as thought shoulder dystocia before he came out ok)

So not great for the stats either!

8 in our NCT class and with first babies we had:

2 scheduled c/s due to breech
1 foreceps
1 ventouse
4 non-assisted births

Second/third children from same group

2 scheduled c/s due to breech
7 non-assisted births (inc one set of twins)

Am quite shocked by how the stats are panning out ...

Me too, wishingchair.

Once I got a minute I will count all the new posts together and see how the stats look but at the last count it looked like you had only a 40% chance of an unassisted delivery for a first birth. Not great.

Bumperlicious asked how she can find out the stats for her local hospital. Bumper, try this website: www.birthchoiceuk.com/Frame.htm I'm sorry I don't know how to post links so I hope you'll find it. Remember though that they include all births not just first births. I was interested in first births as there seem to be more intervention needed than in following births. I was just so shocked ot see the stats from my two anteo-natal classes. There were we being prepared for natural births and then only 1 out of 15 women achieved that, everyone else had some sort of intervention.

If you look at your local hospital website, you should be able to get the statistics for births from their Maternity Services information.

I think it is generally about 30% for c-sections and 15% for forceps/ventouse, but this varies by area.

So you have a 55%ish chance of a non-assisted birth if that is your definition.