British mothers should spend longer in hospital

Research says they are sent home after childbirth quicker than other countries

British mothers are sent home from hospital after childbirth quicker than in any other developed country, new research suggests.

They are spending an average of just a day and a half in maternity units after having their babies – the shortest stay for any highincome country assessed, according to the data published in PLOS Medicine.

Women in Bangladesh, Ghana and Liberia have longer stays.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine compiled data from 92 different countries about the length of time women stayed in health facilities after childbirth.

They concluded that a substantial proportion of women in countries around the world do not stay in health facilities for long enough after giving birth, which could result in them receiving inadequate post- natal care.

The country with the longest length of stay was Ukraine where new mothers spend 6.2 days surrounded by health workers.

But those in Egypt spend an average of just half a day in a maternity unit after childbirth.

Academics warned that short stays mean there could be insufficient time for medics to carry out proper checks on mothers and their newborns.

On the research, Louise Silverton, director for Midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives, said: “The length of time a woman spends in hospital will vary depending on their needs, and many other factors for example if a woman has had a Caesarean section.

“Midwives need to check to make sure women feel up to going home.

“However, provided the woman is medically fine, has the support she needs at home and the right post-natal care plan in place, and a good community midwife service, then going home even five or six hours after birth may be absolutely fine.

“Some areas may expect women to go to a clinic for post-natal care which is fine if she is feeling well and has transport, but not if she is unwell and does not have transport.

“I would also stress that many safety issues could be missed if a midwife does not see the woman at home.

“In the UK post-natal care is under pressure due to staffing issues and budget cuts. Our own research in 2013 showed that too many women are going home when they are not ready and this needs addressing.

“The decision about when a woman goes home after birth is one that should be made through discussion with the woman, midwives and medical staff.”