Immersion in water for pain relief and the risk of intrapartum transfer among low risk nulliparous women: secondary analysis of the Birthplace national prospective cohort study

Lukasse, Mirjam; Rowe, Rachel; Townend, John; Knight, Marian; Hollowell, Jennifer

doi:10.1186/1471-2393-14-60

Table 1 Characteristics of low risk women and babies by planned place of birth and immersion in water for pain relief

From: Immersion in water for pain relief and the risk of intrapartum transfer among low risk nulliparous women: secondary analysis of the Birthplace national prospective cohort study

	Home				FMU				AMU
	n = 4013				n = 4831				n = 7733
	No immersion		Immersion		No immersion		Immersion		No immersion		Immersion
	n = 2002		n = 2011		n = 2216		n = 2615		n = 4807		n = 2926
	n	%¹	n	%¹	n	%¹	n	%¹	n	%	n	%¹
Maternal age
Mean (SD)	29.7	(5.3)	30.6	(4.7)	26.2	(5.6)	27.6	(5.7)	26.5	(5.6)	27.5	(5.6)
Under 20	87	4.3	30	1.5	297	13.4	248	9.5	566	11.8	272	9.3
20–24	241	12.0	159	7.9	609	27.5	554	21.2	1300	27.0	626	21.4
25–29	607	30.3	611	30.4	659	29.7	783	29.9	1465	30.5	901	30.8
30–34	675	33.7	808	40.2	474	21.4	735	28.1	1048	21.8	795	27.2
35–39	350	17.5	362	18.0	161	7.3	261	10.0	391	8.1	303	10.4
40+	39	1.9	37	1.8	12	0.5	32	1.2	29	0.6	22	0.8
Missing	3	0.1	4	0.2	4	0.2	2	0.1	8	0.2	7	0.2
Ethnicity
White	1899	94.9	1898	94.4	2030	91.6	2428	92.8	3876	80.6	2548	87.1
Non-white	102	5.1	108	5.4	186	8.4	186	7.1	919	19.1	369	12.6
Missing	1	0.0	5	0.2	0	0.0	1	0.04	12	0.3	9	0.3
Understanding English
Fluent	1983	99.1	2004	99.7	2111	95.3	2563	98.0	4320	89.9	2755	94.2
Not fluent	17	0.8	4	0.2	96	4.3	52	2.0	471	9.8	159	5.4
Missing	2	0.1	3	0.1	9	0.4	0	0.0	16	0.3	12	0.4
Marital/Partner status
Married/Living together	1881	94.0	1924	95.7	1913	86.3	2380	91.0	4111	85.5	2587	88.4
Single/unsupported by partner	110	5.5	75	3.7	276	12.5	208	8.0	638	13.3	282	9.6
Missing	11	0.5	12	0.6	27	1.2	27	1.1	58	1.2	57	1.9
Body mass index (kg/m ² )
Not recorded	391	19.5	371	18.4	334	15.1	484	18.5	810	16.8	509	17.4
Less than 18.5	32	1.6	42	2.1	60	2.7	51	2.0	138	2.9	87	3.0
18.5–24.9	1052	52.6	1077	53.6	1159	52.3	1412	54.0	2505	52.1	1615	55.2
25.0–29.9	406	20.3	403	20.0	502	22.7	514	19.7	1019	21.2	551	18.8
30.0–35.0	109	5.4	108	5.4	157	7.1	153	5.9	321	6.7	158	5.4
Missing	12	0.6	10	0.5	4	0.2	1	0.0	14	0.3	6	0.2
Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintiles
1^st Least deprived	412	20.6	427	21.2	400	18.1	606	23.2	693	14.4	476	16.3
2^nd	408	20.4	432	21.5	475	21.4	630	24.1	733	15.2	524	17.9
3^rd	454	22.7	455	22.6	464	20.9	561	21.5	921	19.2	628	21.5
4^th	403	20.1	426	21.2	478	21.6	422	16.1	1151	23.9	690	23.6
5^th Most deprived	314	15.7	259	12.9	392	17.7	389	14.9	1294	26.9	602	20.6
Missing	11	0.5	12	0.6	7	0.3	7	0.3	15	0.3	6	0.2
Gestation (completed weeks)
Mean (SD)	39.7	(1.1)	39.8	(1.0)	39.7	(1.1)	39.8	(1.0)	39.7	(1.1)	39.8	(1.0)
37	53	2.6	37	1.8	70	3.2	68	2.6	153	3.2	79	2.7
38	219	10.9	174	8.7	209	9.4	226	8.6	475	9.9	272	9.3
39	491	24.5	430	21.4	536	24.2	554	21.2	1179	24.5	688	23.5
40	739	36.9	792	39.4	833	37.6	1019	39.0	1833	38.1	1129	38.6
41	480	24.0	546	27.2	557	25.1	729	27.9	1134	23.6	729	24.9
42⁺⁰	20	1.0	32	1.6	11	0.5	19	0.7	33	0.7	29	1.0
Birth weight (grams)
mean (SD)	3452	(419)	3497	(430)	3391	(419)	3441	(417)	3380	(423)	3447	(412)
Less than 2500 g	15	0.7	16	0.8	30	1.4	21	0.8	74	1.5	22	0.8
2500-2999 g	259	12.9	217	10.8	345	15.6	325	12.4	788	16.4	351	12.0
3000-3499 g	810	40.5	756	37.6	968	43.7	1138	43.5	2090	43.5	1247	42.6
3500-3999 g	702	35.1	774	38.5	698	31.5	873	33.4	1465	30.5	1009	34.5
4000-4499 g	197	9.8	210	10.4	161	7.3	229	8.8	350	7.3	267	9.1
≥4500 g	13	0.6	33	1.6	14	0.6	29	1.1	28	0.6	20	0.7
Missing	6	0.3	5	0.2	0	0.0	0	0.0	12	0.2	10	0.3

¹Unweighted and unadjusted, percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.

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