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Third stage of labour: Outcomes of physiological third stage of labour care in the homebirth setting (November 1991)

Abstract:

A retrospective exploratory study of physiological care of the third stage of labour. The aim of this study was to develop a research method which would examine the outcomes of the undisturbed physiological processes at work in the birth of the placenta. Blood loss and other outcomes were examined as indicators of the safety of physiological management and relationships between the variables were explored for trends which may warrant further study. Homebirth was chosen as the setting, where practitioners are both confident and competent with this method. Forty-eight New Zealand Domiciliary midwives (213 births in total) were surveyed using a postal questionnaire. The results showed a mean estimated blood loss of 239 ml, primary postpartum haemorrhage (blood loss >500 ml) rate of 3.3 per cent and no manual removals of the placenta were required.

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active and physiological management, placenta, third stage of labour