What time is the best time to give birth
August 03, 2010
Posted by:Caroline Klage
Recent research has shown that most birth complications occur between the hours of 6pm and 8am. Babies born during these hours have a slightly higher chance of injury/death than babies born between 8am and 6pm. So what is the explanation for this? Unfortunately, fewer medical staff, to include obstetricians, neonatologists and gynaecologists are available during the night. Further, often medical staff at consultant level do not work night shifts and indeed, arrangements are generally not made for medical staff of this calibre to work through the night. There is also the possibility of fatigue affecting overstretched staff who are working on night shifts.
I feel that it would be beneficial for Trusts to make arrangements for more senior medical staff to work through the night. Although this would be at increased expense, the resulting reduced number of complications would reduce the amount of money the NHSLA have to pay out every year to injured children in terms of compensation and legal costs so there may well be a saving to be made.