A free-standing low-risk maternity unit in the United Kingdom: does it have a role?
This study aimed to evaluate the safety of this birth setting for low-risk deliveries based on our hospital protocol. The study was carried out at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot (a low-risk unit) and Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, Berkshire (a consultant-led unit). This was a retrospective analysis of the computerised records and statistics of low-risk women delivered at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, UK following the unit protocol between July 1995 and December 2001. Women were assessed to be at low risk in accord with the unit protocol. Those who had antenatal and intrapartum care at Heatherwood Hospital and those who were transferred to the consultant unit for delivery were included in this study. We analysed the appropriateness of the structure of the unit with its medical staff input, reviewed the inclusion and exclusion criteria, analysed the perinatal and maternal mortality rates and evaluated the safety of this birth setting. We have had a total of 5468 women delivered at this low-ri
