Do Organisational Circumstances In the Birth Ward Influence Perinatal Outcome? A Retrospective Analysis of Over 43.000 Deliveries

Background: Birth can be a high-risk situation requiring identification of potential complications and decisive action. Identifying times of increased risk with respect to working patterns is important to optimise quality and safety. The umbilical cord pH and the 1-minute APGAR score are evaluated predictive parameters for the neonatal outcome. Aberrant values may be related to many factors, including special circumstances during birth. Objectives: In this study, we checked the data of our hospital to find out, whether the day, the time of birth, as well as the Hand Over Times (HOT), may be correlated to conspicuous findings. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included deliveries of 20 years. The impaired fetal outcome was defined as pH values 6. Conclusion: These results demonstrate a high standard of care during the different days, times, and HOT over the last decades despite an increased workload. As the neonatal outcome depends on various factors, further studies are necessary to improve the working environment