Making Childbirth Safer for Mother and Baby

Sutter Health delivers about three kindergarten classes every day across our network. We know that a happy life starts with a healthy beginning, so we constantly look for new ways to promote safer birth experiences for mothers and their babies.

Since 1999, Sutter Health has implemented quality and safety programs in affiliated hospitals to prevent early elective deliveries and reduce unnecessary cesarean sections, as well as other avoidable procedures to protect the heath and well-being of women and babies during childbirth.

Reducing Early Elective Deliveries

Research shows that many of a child’s vital organs, including the brain and lungs, continue developing during the final weeks of pregnancy. If labor begins on its own, babies may stand a better chance of entering the world strong and avoiding serious medical problems in their first year of life. By staying in close contact with expecting mothers during the final weeks of pregnancy, we’ve reduced our rate of elective deliveries of babies before 39 weeks of pregnancy—whether through induced labor or C-section—to approximately 1 percent across our network.

The medical procedures required to intentionally deliver a baby early, either via an induced labor or a C-section, also carry a higher risk of complications than a full-term vaginal delivery.

Even after 39 weeks of pregnancy, we resist the urge to induce labor unless your doctor find a strong medical reason.

“Inducing the birth of an otherwise healthy baby—even by a couple of days—is never a good idea,” says William Gilbert, M.D., medical director, Sutter Women’s Services, Sutter Health Valley Area.

Preventing Unnecessary C-Sections

Nearly one in three American babies enters our world through a surgical birth. C-section delivery is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the United States. When complications arise during pregnancy, C-sections can save the lives of mothers and infants, but some women undergo surgery for no medical reason.

Sutter care centers have received recognition as leaders for reducing unnecessary C-sections. Many Sutter Health network hospitals rank far below the state and national averages for rates of C-sections.

“While C-sections generally pose few risks, the safest method for both mom and baby is an uncomplicated vaginal birth,” says Katarina Lanner-Cusin, M.D., medical director, Women’s Services, Sutter Health Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. “The potential benefits of vaginal births include a shorter and less-painful recovery, as well as a lower risk of infection and surgery-related injuries.”

To help decrease the overall number of unnecessary C-sections, we focus our quality and safety programs on reducing the number of surgical births among low-risk women delivering their first child.

Registered nurses, certified nurse midwives and doctors partner with mothers across our network to make childbirth safer. Our efforts include:

• Providing expectant parents with considerable prenatal education and preparation.
• Avoiding elective induction of labor before 39 weeks. We only induce labor when medically necessary.
• Offering and encouraging midwife and doula services at some of our affiliated birth centers.

Encouraging Vaginal Birth After Cesarean

Many women with a prior C-section can have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Our care teams discuss the possibility of a VBAC with expectant mothers at the earliest stages of pregnancy so we can partner with you on decisions that lead to the safest, most healthy outcome. Sutter birth centers encourage all eligible moms to have VBACs.

Eliminating Episiotomies

Studies over the last few years have shown little or no medical benefit in a routine episiotomy, an incision made in the perineum during childbirth. Doctors now believe an episiotomy can increase the risk for extended tears to the rectum, especially for first-time mothers, which may lead to greater short- and/or long-term problems with bowel control later in life.

Since 1999, episiotomies have decreased more than 60 percent throughout Sutter hospitals, and rectal tears have decreased more than 40 percent.

For your first delivery, you are encouraged to discuss episiotomy with your physician or midwife (and their partners if they are part of a group practice) at one of your last prenatal appointments or when you are in early labor.

Close to 70 percent of women will have a natural tear with the birth of their first baby. Such tears usually involve less tissue and trauma than an episiotomy.