In January of 2014, a newborn in Texas died from Legionnaires’ disease, an infection that the baby almost certainly contracted from bacteria in the birthing pool, according to an article on The Daily Beast website. The death has raised concerns about the standards followed for birthing tubs.

Another case of infant Legionnaires’ disease came out of the U.K. this summer, and is the only instance in the country’s history attributable to a water birth. The National Health Service and Public Health England responded by banning certain recirculating heated pools, similar to the one used in Texas.

A Texas health department investigation following the baby’s death found “a gap in the standardization and implementation of infection-control practices for midwives during home water births.” 

The tub used in the birth was not approved for medical use and is difficult to disinfect. The water that the baby was born into had been sitting at body temperature in the pool for two days at the time of birth, and the water treatment meant to disinfect the pool hadn’t been approved by the FDA. Finally, the midwifery center didn’t have any written procedures in place for water births, the article said.

In general, research has shown water births, when properly monitored by health professionals, can be an effective way to manage pain and reduce the use of epidurals while having no adverse effects for mother or baby.

Read the article.