[Obstetrics in Denmark. The role of surgical maternity wards in Denmark].
BACKGROUND
About 13.5% of the deliveries in Denmark take place on maternity wards which lie within the bounds of a surgical department, mainly at small general hospitals. The Danish Society for Obstetrics and Gynaecology has recommended closing all such surgical maternity wards. This prompted a comparison of birth outcomes for women who live in municipalities, which are served by a surgical maternity ward compared to the rest of the Danish women.


METHODS
The data was obtained as a random sample of 74,000 deliveries from The Danish Birth Registry. The main outcome variables were perinatal deaths and operative deliveries.


RESULTS
No difference was found in the perinatal mortality, the crude OR being 1.03 (95% CI: 0.87-1.14). Logistic regression analysis was used to correct for the effect of confounding factors resulting in an adjusted OR = 1.13 (95% CI: 0.92-1.38).


CONCLUSIONS
The investigation does not confirm the need for further centralisation of maternity care as a means of lowering the perinatal mortality in Denmark.
Jørgensen
P A
PA
Lemvig Sygehus, kirurgisk afdeling.
D003696:Delivery Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D011247:Pregnancy; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration