Warm tub bathing during labor: maternal and neonatal effects

Aim. To study possible detrimental maternal and neonatal effects of immersion in warm water during labor.Design. Prospective randomized controlled bathing during ilig;rst stage of labor vs no bathing.Setting. Obstetrical departments at a university hospital and two central hospitals.Primary end-point. Referral of newborns to NICU.Material and methods. Randomization took place by means of sealed opaque envelopes at each delivery unit. Preconditions for participation in the study were: singleton parturient wishing to bathe, a gestational duration of at least 35 weekslus;0 days, a planned vaginal delivery, normal admission test, regular contractions and cervix dilated to at least 3dash;4 cm. Parturients randomized to the squo;no bathsquo; control group were allowed to use a shower. Rupture of the membranes was not a contra-indication to participation. Those excluded from randomization were women with intra-uterine growth retardation, meconium-stained amniotic llig;uid, or in the event that the tub was occupi...