Clinical leaders at Ipswich Hospital’s maternity services have taken the decision to reintroduce nitrous oxide (also known as Entonox or gas and air) this week as new ventilation units are now in place, together with constant monitoring systems.
Dr Giles Thorpe, Chief Nurse at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which runs the hospital, said: “Firstly and most importantly, thank you to everyone for their support and patience which has been much appreciated.
“We are very pleased that we are now able to safely offer nitrous oxide again to women and pregnant people having suspended its use while we put in new ventilation units in all of our delivery suites and rooms at Ipswich Hospital.”
This follows safety concerns raised in other maternity units about the levels of ‘residual’ nitrous oxide left in the air after it had been used. This led ESNEFT to check all its delivery areas to confirm that they were safe environments for maternity staff to work in.
“We tested the levels of nitrous oxide in our maternity services following concerns about high levels of nitrous oxide in another maternity department,” added Dr Thorpe. “Nitrous oxide is piped at our Colchester maternity unit. It is not piped at Ipswich maternity unit. We asked a specialist testing company to check all of our birthing rooms at Ipswich.
“The results showed that there were some elements of concern at Ipswich maternity unit as some samples were above where we would want them to be and above the ‘safe’ levels advised in national guidance. There is no concern that using nitrous oxide is harmful to pregnant people, the issue is the residue left in the air after it has been used.
“We needed to improve ventilation in all birthing rooms and the delivery suite at Ipswich and have now done this.
“We are very appreciative of the support and patience of women and pregnant people, and their families, as we worked towards putting these ventilation units in at Ipswich maternity unit.”
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