Does allocation of low risk parturient women to a separate maternity unit decrease the risk of emergency cesarean section?

To study whether the selection of low risk parturient women into a separate maternity unit leads to a lower risk of emergency cesarean section, compared to giving birth in a unit with mixed cases.Hospital based registry study.Maternity units in two university hospitals in Oslo, Norway.All low risk parturient women with attempted vaginal deliveries in the years 2001-2003, a total number of 11,686 deliveries.Data were obtained from standardized patient records and risks of cesarean section were estimated as odds ratios.Emergency cesarean section risk.Compared with women giving birth in a unit with mixed cases, women giving birth in a maternity unit with low risk cases only had a higher risk of emergency cesarean section (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.2-1.6).Giving birth in a low risk maternity unit is associated with a higher risk of cesarean section for low risk parturient women compared with giving birth in a maternity unit with mixed cases.