27 Oct Childbirth Trends in the Private Sector in South Africa

• Only 10% of pregnant mother’s/couples researched their options about birth
• 67% had a caesarean section (the acceptable rate should be 18%)
• 3,4% of births were accompanied by a doula
• 19% were induced
• 30% had liquid to drink during labour although most of those only sucked ice
• 14% ate during labour although mostly just sucked sweets
• Epidural is the preferred method for pain relief although midwives patients still opted for self-help techniques and pethidine
• 33% had vaginal births
• 28% delivered intact, 42% had a tear and 30% had an episiotomy. Research shows that hands should be off the perineum and let a mother deliver intact or with a tear • Most women birthed in a semi-reclined back-lying position and pushed as instructed by the caregiver and not pushed as their body told them to
• 51% had skin-to-skin contact with their babies at birth
• 44% breastfed their babies in the first hour
• 68% had their babies rooming-in with them in the ward after birth