Methodology
Where does the information come from?
The information contained in this guide is supplied by the units themselves and is for the financial year April 2006 to March 2007 unless stated otherwise.
Caesarean birth rates at consultant led units have been adjusted to take into account the volumes of satellite midwife led units which refer their difficult and emergency cases
The data is compiled from the Dr Foster Birth Guide questionnaire survey conducted between July and September 2007.
Please refer to the health dictionary section for an explanation of the terms used in the guide.
More information on maternity unit types
Shared midwife and consultant units: This is the traditional hospital-based maternity unit staffed with doctors and midwives which account for the vast majority of births in the UK. These units have consultant obstetricians on staff and are able to deal with both complex and straightforward pregnancies and deliveries. Many will offer a choice of being under the supervision of a doctor or a midwife, although if there are complications you will almost certainly be put under the care of a doctor. These units are capable of carrying out all medical interventions in childbirth and can offer a full anaesthetic service, including epidurals.
Midwife-led units: These maternity units do not have consultants working in them and offer services for women who show no signs of having any difficulty giving birth naturally. Most of them are staffed entirely by midwives although in a few GPs with training in obstetrics also provide care.
By and large these units offer a very different style of care compared with consultant units. In general there are no anaesthetists to administer epidurals and no surgeons to perform caesarean sections. Interventions are very limited. Midwife-led units can provide an environment in which women are given support to give birth without medical intervention or high levels of drugs for pain relief. However, if you do get into difficulties at one of these units, you would be quickly transferred to a large hospital.