What is the risk of infection?

1960 American Journal of OB/GYN. Dr. Siegel posed the question, “Does bath water enter the vagina?” In his experiment he placed sterile cotton tampons into thirty women and then asked them to bathe in iodinated water for a minimum of fifteen minutes. In all cases when the tampons were removed, there was no iodine present. His conclusion states, “We can now stop restricting women from bathing in the later stages of pregnancy and labor.” Janet Rush, RN, and her Canadian group of investigators have conducted the only randomized controlled trial of the effects of water labor. They reported that there were no differences noted in the low rates of maternal and newborn signs of infection in women with ruptured membranes. Oregon Health Science University Hospital in 1999, cultures were done from the portable jetted birth pool before, during and after birth, as well as from the fill hose and water tap source. In all instances no bacteria was cultured from the birth pool but the tap water did culture Pseudomonas. In a British study of 541 water labors, no serious infections were reported during the three -year period of data gathering. Again, Pseudomonas was the only persistent bacteria discovered in two babies who tested positive from ear swabs. No infant required treatment.The birth pools at Charleston Birth Place have the latest technology to reduce bacteria including ozone water filtration systems and microban antimicrobial protection. The pools are cleaned and sterilized after each use and the jets are cultured monthly by an independent lab.