You should know about the evidence-practice gap if you’re giving birth in a hospital

There’s something in the maternity care world called the evidence–practice gap — the time it takes for new research to become standard hospital practice. On average, that gap is about 15 years.

So even though new studies may show safer or more effective ways to support birth, hospitals don’t always update their policies right away. This is why not everything that happens in a hospital is truly evidence-based, especially for low-risk families who want a physiological birth.

Examples of practices not fully supported by research include continuous fetal monitoring for all labors, restricting water birth, and requiring birth by 41 weeks.

As a doula, part of my job is helping families understand what’s evidence-based and what’s simply routine. Those two aren’t always the same. My goal is to make sure you know your options — along with the real benefits and risks — so your decisions are fully informed and truly your own.

Birth choices can feel heavy — life, safety, and risk are big words for any parent to hold. When you start learning about the data, pause and ground yourself first. Take a deep breath. Check in with your baby. Maybe remind yourself:

I am safe in this moment.

Then look at the numbers with perspective. Risk is a part of life — but fear doesn’t have to drive your decisions.

Too often, families trust a system that doesn’t always offer the full picture — not out of malice, but because it’s shaped by policy, liability, and habit. That’s where having support matters.

When I’m in a birth space, I love helping families ask questions, explore their options, and take the time they need to decide. Because when you have clear information and compassionate support, your birth decisions come from confidence — not pressure.

We’ll know that today’s evidence is being embraced in hospitals when we start to see intermittent monitoring used routinely for low-risk pregnancies, water birth is supported as an option for birth, and 41 week inductions are a true discussion between provider and parents - not a routine scheduling.