January 2024
Is having a water birth currently an option in NHS Grampian?
Yes. Birthing pool facilities are available at Inverurie Community Maternity Unit (from 29 Jan 2024), Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin and at the Community Maternity Unit in Peterhead. The use of birthing pools at home births also remains an option.
Could I have a water birth at home?
Yes. NHS Grampian is absolutely supportive of caring for families during home births. The midwifery teams are more than happy to support families who are exploring the option of hiring a pool for their planned home birth. Please speak with your local midwifery team if this is something that interests you.
Why is the birthing pool in Aberdeen Maternity Hospital’s midwifery unit closed?
In Aberdeen, we were pleased to return our midwife unit to its usual home in June 2023 following repairs to this part of the hospital to address water damage. Unfortunately, the repair work brought to light infrastructure issues with the birthing pool room which we are trying to resolve.
Is NHS Grampian not fixing the birthing pool in Aberdeen because the preference is to save money?
It is NHS Grampian’s commitment as an organisation to offer water births to families in our care. Midwives and the wider management team share the concerns regarding the impact of the lack of birthing pool facilities we currently have in Aberdeen and are doing everything they can to find solutions. Safety remains our first priority.
Why can’t NHS Grampian make inflatable birthing pools available in Aberdeen?
We have discussed at length with colleagues across a number of specialities including Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) the use of inflatable pools within the hospital setting and this is not possible due to the thresholds for IPC in healthcare settings. The footfall in our settings is much higher than it would be in a home and therefore the associated risk of infection, much higher. Filling and draining pools would also present a contamination risk, and any equipment we procure as a health board must be suitable to withstand rigorous cleaning procedures.
Can families continue to benefit from a midwife-led birth with therapeutic support?
Yes. While we sincerely apologise for any distress felt by women at the moment in the lead up to labour, we also seek to provide reassurance that we are committed to providing high standards of midwife-led care and therapeutic approaches across Grampian. We would encourage anyone with concerns to discuss these, and plans for place of birth, with their midwife.
Who can I go to for more information?
Discussions about place of birth and therapeutic support should be raised with your midwife. Please share any wider questions or concerns you may have by emailing gram.maternityengagement@nhs.scot We will look to address these by sharing updates online and with local teams.