Unexpected problems in patients selected for birthing unit delivery.

Although delivery in the Family Birthing Unit of our hospital has been associated with good perinatal results, unexpected serious complications were observed necessitating the availability of immediate resuscitation facilities for both mother and baby. Of the 1,794 patients initially selected for confinement in the Family Birthing Unit, 326 were transferred out because of antenatal complications, 241 were transferred out because of intrapartum complications, and the incidence of postpartum haemorrhage and/or neonatal asphyxia in the remaining lowest risk patients were 3.7% and 1.3% respectively. Ten of these lowest risk patients required blood transfusions and 4 babies required admission to the Special Care Baby Unit because of neonatal asphyxia.