New mothers and their babies are discharged from hospital in Britain more quickly than almost any other country in the world, research has revealed.
On average, a woman is sent home just one and a half days after giving birth.
This is the briefest stay for any developed country – and the eight shortest of all 71 nations studied.
In comparison, the average Frenchwoman has a hospital stay of 4.2 days, Italian new mothers are typically kept in for 3.4 days and Germans for 3 days.
New mothers in Britain are discharged after an average 1.5 days compared to 4.2 days in France while Italian new mothers are typically kept in for 3.4 days and Germans for 3 days
Women in Guyana, South Korea and Liberia also spend more time in hospital after giving birth than their British counterparts.
Only Uganda, Jordan, Turkey, Mexico, Zambia, Pakistan and Egypt send new mothers home more quickly than the UK.
The data, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, follows research from the Royal College of Midwives that found two in five new mothers feel they are being rushed out of hospital.
It also comes as the cash-strapped NHS faces mounting pressure from staff shortages and an influx of overweight and older mothers, who are prone to more complicated births.
Other research shows that half of maternity units have turned away women in labour and a quarter of women have been left worried and alone when about to give birth.
And while a new mother 1970s might have spent around a week convalescing, many today are sent home just six hours after giving birth.
The authors of the latest study warned that too short stays can mean that potentially fatal complications in mothers and their babies may be missed.
New mothers may also miss out on the support they need to stave of post-natal depression or to ensure they start breastfeeding.
Annie O’Leary, of parenting website Netmums, said that while some women may want to get home, others may be being ‘pushed out’ of hospitals that are struggling for resources.
She added: ‘I think we need to look at whether the women genuinely want to go home, or are they choosing to go home because they don’t like being in hospital, or are they not choosing to go home at all but being pushed out.
Discharging new mothers and their babies too early can mean that potentially fatal complications in mothers and their babies may be missed, the report's authors say
‘I think it is really important to give women the choice.’
Professor Debra Bick, a maternity services expert from King’s College London, said traditionally, Britain was able to discharge new mothers more quickly than other European countries because it ensured they had frequent visits from midwives after returning home.
However, the number of visits has been cut and, leaving women without access to pain relief and breast feeding advice.
Others are being readmitted to hospital with infections that should have been prevented.
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine researcher Campbell scoured official databases for information on hospital stays around the world.
| COUNTRY | HOSPITAL DAYS |
|---|---|
| Ukraine | 6.2 |
| Croatia | 5.4 |
| France | 4.2 |
| Italy | 4.2 |
| Germany | 3 |
| India | 3 |
| Guyana | 2.9 |
| Australia | 2.8 |
| Namibia | 2.6 |
| South Korea | 2.5 |
| Sweden | 2.3 |
| Ireland | 2 |
| United States | 2 |
| Nigeria | 1.8 |
| Canada | 1.7 |
| Liberia | 1.6 |
| United Kingdom | 1.5 |
| Turkey | 1.3 |
| Pakistan | 0.8 |
| Egypt | 0.5 |
| Source: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine | |
When she focused figures for natural births, in which one baby was born, rather than twins or triplets, the UK came close to the bottom of the table.
Professor Campbell also found that 30 per cent of these mothers are discharged after just one day – breaching World Health Organisation’s advice that women are kept in for at least 24 hours.
Women who have a Caesarean section are also sent home swiftly from British hospitals, with two-thirds discharged less than 72 hours after giving birth.
Professor Campbell, whose main focus was maternity care in low and middle-income countries, said that length of stay is a good indication of quality of care.
Writing in the journal PLOS Medicine, she added that very short stays defeat the object of encouraging women to give birth in hospital globally.
The journal’s editor said: ‘It seems that many women stay too short to receive adequate post-natal care.
‘This is alarming, especially in low-income settings, where access to care after discharge is often limited.’
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