This study sought to understand the beliefs and perspectives of women in northern Ontario and their obstetrical providers with respect to water birthing as access to this service is limited in this region METHODS: All midwives, family physicians (FPs), and obstetricians providing labour and delivery services in northern Ontario were surveyed, as were a sample of labour and delivery nurses in the region and convenience samples of regional women.
Of the 362 women who completed the survey (a 90.5% response rate), 81.8% (95% CI 77.5-85.4) believed water births to be safe, 40.9% (95% CI 35.9-46) were interested in having a water birth, and 76.5% (95% CI 71.8-80.5) wanted to have the option of a hospital-based water birth. Perceptions of water birth safety varied significantly by provider type (?2P