While uncommon in the Caribbean, some mothers do opt for giving birth in “birthing pools” as an alternative to hospital births. In fact, Caribbean Medical News can confirm the presence of a water birthing centre of birth pool in the region which is offering “water births” as we speak.
However, Public Health England is warning against this since according to them, there is evidence that there are risks associated with legionella which causes Legionnaires’ disease.
This information was published in the European Scientific Journal Eurosurveillance.
According to reports, 10 heated birthing pools have been recalled and of the 10, four have tested positive for Legionella and 3 also tested positive for another harmful organisms including pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The PHE is thus reiterating its advice on the use of some birthing pools and suggests that they are unsafe pending further investigation.
Apart from its published article in Eurosurveillance, the PHE has also written suppliers of birthing pools (heated), sharing the results and urging that the pools not be used for home birthing.
“These latest results have strengthened already serious concerns about the safety of heated birthing pools in the home setting and the potential for contamination from a number of organisms which are recognised causes of infection, and pose particular risks to new born babies”, said Professor Nick Phin, PHE’s head of Legionnaires’ disease.
The PHE recommendation does not affect the UK National Health Service.
“Women planning birth at home using a traditional pool that is filled when the woman is in labour or using a fixed pool in an NHS unit are not affected by this alert and should not be concerned. Birthing pools in hospitals are subject to stringent infection control procedures and monitoring. Home birthing pools filled during labour come with disposable liners and are only in place for a relatively short time period, reducing opportunity for bacterial growth”, said Louise Silverton, director for midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives.
The pools to which the PHE refers include pools which invariably also incorporate a heater and re-circulation pump and are filled in advance of labour. PHE reiterates that these should not be used.
Until the PHE is satisfied that birthing pools are safe for use at home, the recommendation for pools to not be sold, hired, re-used or recommended for home births remains the same: do not use them, they are dangerous.
Saying they are willing to revisit the evidence, PHE insists that heated birthing pools for at home births are unsafe.
