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Vacuum Extraction and Forceps Delivery in a District Hospital

Summary: We compared 302 vacuum extractions and 205 forceps deliveries at Fairfield District Hospital, Sydney, over a period of 30 months. Age, parity, gestational age, length of labour and birth‐weight were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Significantly less analgesia was required for mothers whose babies were delivered by vacuum extraction compared with mothers with forceps deliveries (p < 0.01). Average blood loss was slightly higher during forceps delivery as compared with vacuum extraction and there was a significantly higher incidence of postpartum haemorrhage after forceps delivery (p < 0.05). More babies were jaundiced after vacuum extraction and more required phototherapy, but the differences were slight and were not statistically significant. We conclude that vacuum extraction is a useful and safe alternative to forceps delivery in a district hospital setting.