British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology: The carbon footprint of different modes of birth in the UK and the Netherlands: An exploratory study using life cycle assessment

Recently published article in BJOG, comments welcome.

Birth is common (~140 M births/year worldwide) and, in many countries, a caesarean birth is the commonest major surgical procedure. The environmental impact of birth and maternity care is increasingly being considered; the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recognises that “climate change is an urgent women's health concern as well as a major public health challenge” and calls for ‘healthcare systems to support environmentally responsible practices in order to decrease the environmental impact and carbon footprint of medicine.’

The carbon footprint of a caesarean section is higher than for a vaginal birth if analgesia is excluded, but this is very sensitive to the analgesia used; use of nitrous oxide with oxygen multiplies the carbon footprint of vaginal birth 25-fold. Alternative methods of pain relief or nitrous oxide destruction systems would lead to a substantial improvement in carbon footprint. Although clinical need and maternal choice are paramount, protocols should consider the environmental impact of different choices.

The carbon footprint of different modes of birth in the UK and the Netherlands: An exploratory study using life cycle assessment - Spil - BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology - Wiley Online Library