HypnoBirthing versus Conventional Childbirth Report 2010
Between October 2005 and October 2010, the HypnoBirthing Institute received 2001 Parents’ Birth Reports from United States.
For comparison, HypnoBirthing® data are compared to Listening to Mothers II Report of the Second National U.S. Survey of Women’s Childbearing Experiences. New York: Childbirth Connection, October 2006, www.childbirthconnection.org/listeningtomothers, (hereafter abbreviated as LTM II.) Limited comparison data are also available from “Births: Final Data for 2007”, by Joyce A. Martin, M.P.H.; Brady E. Hamilton, Ph.D.; Paul D. Sutton Ph.D.; Stephanie J. Ventura, M.A.; T.J. Mathews, M.S.; Sharon Kirmeyer, Ph.D.; and Michelle J.K. Osterman M.H.S.; Division of Vital Statistics. National Vital Statistics Reports, Volume 58, Number 24 August, 2010
Labor interventions: HypnoBirthing® mothers used far fewer interventions during their labors than mothers in the comparison groups
Medical induction: 18% of HypnoBirthing moms vs. 38% of LTM II
Pitocin augmentation: 21% of HypnoBirthing moms vs. >50% of LTM II
Perineal stitches: 32% of HypnoBirting moms vs. 60% of LTM II
Epidural anesthesia: 21% of HypnoBirting moms vs. 71% of LTM II
Cesarean section: HypnoBirthing® mothers experienced surgical birth (Cesarean section) at a much lower rate (17%) than that reported by LTM II (32%) or the U.S Division of Vital Statistics (31.8%). Data does not differentiate between primary and repeat Cesareans.
Choice of Care Provider: 45% of HypnoBirthing® mothers who birthed vaginally chose obstetricians and 57% chose midwives, including CNMs and direct entry midwives. By comparison 79% of the respondents to LTM II were attended by obstetricians.
93% of HypnoBirthing mothers rated the quality of supportive care they received from their care providers as “good” or “excellent.” 86% percent rated the supportive care from nursing staff at the hospital or birthing center “good” or “excellent.”
Birth Place: LTM II and US Vital Statistics show reported less than 1% of births took place at home or in a free-standing birth center. 7% of HypnoBirthing® mothers birthed at home and 6% chose a free-standing birth center, with the remainder birthing in hospitals.
Low Birth Weight and Large Infants: HypnoBirthing mothers reported fewer low birth weight babies and more large babies than indicated by LTM II and the U.S. Division of Vital Statistics. The fact that more HypnoBirthing babies are born beyond 40 weeks may certainly contribute to the differences, but the two comparison groups include a much wider cross section of the population and the differences are most likely due many factors.
Benefits of HypnoBirthing:
Mothers were asked to rate a series of statements about how they perceived HypnoBirthing benefitted them. 70% or more of mothers agreed that HypnoBirthing:
Adequately prepared them for labour and birth
Allowed them to be more confident in their ability to birth
Helped them make good decisions for birthing
Helped them have a more comfortable birth
Helped them to have a more gentle birth
Helped them have a better understanding of their birthing options
Helped them be able to communicate better with their care provider
Satisfaction with the birthing experience: 500 women wrote responses to the question “Apart from meeting your new baby, what was the best thing about your experience of giving birth? “ The answers most often mentioned feeling powerful, competent, having their partner very involved and supportive, and very often included comments about the ease and comfort of labor and birthing .
77% said they would definitely use HypnoBirthing again and 19% said they may or may not. 87% said they would recommend HypnoBirthing to others.