North Zealand Hospital in Hillerød

The first sensory delivery rooms were established at North Zealand Hospital in Hillerød in 2012. A 2019 study provides strong evidence that a calming environment helps reduce the use of labor-inducing medications, lowers the number of emergency C-sections, and increases patient satisfaction. Today, interest has spread internationally.

The Gynecological-Obstetric Department at North Zealand Hospital in Hillerød wanted to increase security and reduce stress during births by removing the negative hospital feeling that women often experience. A study conducted at North Zealand Hospital, published in the scientific journal Nature – Scientific Reports in 2019, has since documented that sensory birth rooms have clear positive effects on childbirth. The calming and stimulating atmosphere helps reduce the need for labor-inducing medication and pain relief. At the same time, births in sensory birth rooms have a significantly lower risk of ending in emergency C-sections.

In the study, researchers compared 476 births conducted in regular delivery rooms at North Zealand Hospital with 313 births that took place in the hospital’s sensory delivery rooms during the same period. 10.7% of the births in the traditional delivery rooms ended in emergency C-sections, while only 6.4% occurred in the sensory birth rooms. Sensory delivery rooms can therefore reduce the number of C-sections by one for every 23 births. This is a positive development since C-sections are a major surgery, and recovery often takes longer compared to vaginal births.

“We are pleased to show that sensory delivery rooms are not just a clever idea, but that giving birth in a sensory room is associated with fewer interventions. We’ve seen a lower number of C-sections, but also a tendency for fewer labor-inducing medications to be administered,” said Dr. Tine Wrønding from the Gynecological-Obstetric Department at North Zealand Hospital and first author of the article, during the study’s publication.

A sensory delivery room has the same facilities as a regular delivery room but is equipped with audiovisual sensory technology that creates a homely and relaxing atmosphere that calms the nervous system. The sensory experience is divided into three phases, each incorporating colored lights, soothing sounds, and moving images. These phases include a welcoming program, a relaxation program, and a breathing program that supports breathing during labor.