Birth Room Transfer and Procedure Rates – What Do They Tell About the Setting?

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Abstract
: A survey of birth rooms indicates that high transfer rates are a consequence of the environment or setting. The highest transfer rates are found in university or tertiary care centers and the lowest in community hospitals. Wide variation in permitted procedures makes defining a birth room difficult. We speculate that different staff motivations in the creation of a birth room determine its physical location and operational rules, and ultimately, whether it is a true alternative to traditional birth in hospital. (BIRTH 10:2, Summer 1983)