title: Water birth: microbiological colonisation of the newborn, neonatal and maternal infection rate in comparison to conventional bed deliveries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risk of infectious complications after water birth which might be due to water contaminated by faecal bacteria or environmental microbes from the water supply system is still in discussion.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a microbiological study comparing neonatal bacterial colonisation after water birth to conventional bed deliveries with or without relaxation bath. In all three groups (96 deliveries) we isolated most frequently from ear and palate of the newborns Staphylococcus epidermidis, E. coli and enterococci, which belong to the normal vaginal flora.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neonatal outcome, infantś and maternal infection rate did not differ between the three groups.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsfrauenklinik Mannheim, Klinische Fakultät, Universität Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. patricia.fehervary@gyn.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fehervary
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lauinger-Lörsch
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hof
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Melchert
authors.forename: Lelia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zieger
mesh_terms: D001494:Baths; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D004423:Ear / Q000382:microbiology; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014871:Water Microbiology