[The birthing stool--an obstetrical risk?].

During 1992, 140 women out of a total of 1122 used the delivery chair at the department for obstetrics and gynaecology at the LKH Mödling. We compared them to a control group in the supine position. In order to evaluate the safety of deliveries on the delivery chair, we studied the duration of the stages of labour, rate and degree of soft tissue injuries, maternal blood loss, fetal outcome and complications in the puerperium. The use of the delivery chair showed no increased risk to either the mother or the fetus and therefore represents an appropriate alternative to the traditional supine position for delivery.