The Be-Up Study – Research for self-determined birth.
The Be-Up Study investigated how an alternatively designed birth environment can provide greater freedom of movement and support different birthing positions during labour. The focus was on how the birth environment can support women in following their individual needs and natural urge to move.
The Be-Up Study at a glance.
Scientific study
The Be-Up Study investigated how an alternatively designed birth environment can support freedom of movement and different birthing positions during labour.
Funded research
The Be-Up Study was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with approximately €1.5 million and was scientifically led by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.
Birth in movement
The study focused on a birth environment that gives women more space for movement and different birthing positions, supporting them in following their individual needs throughout labour.
What was investigated?
The “Be-Up: Birth Active” study investigated the impact of a specially designed birth room on the course of labour and women’s birth experiences. The focus was on greater freedom of movement, upright birthing positions and the opportunity for a self-determined birth.
Freedom of movement & birthing positions
The alternative birth environment gave women more space to move freely and adopt different birthing positions. In particular, the study examined how frequently upright positions were used and how the design of the birth room influenced movement during labour.
Birth environment & self-determination
The study also examined the importance of birth room design for a self-determined birth. Different options for sitting, kneeling, leaning and positioning were intended to support women in using the space according to their individual needs.
The Be-Up Study – key facts
The Be-Up Study investigated an alternatively designed birth environment under scientific conditions. Here are the key facts at a glance:
Funding
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Scientific lead
Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
Study period
2018–2021 · 22 hospitals
Study size
More than 3,700 women
What did the Be-Up Study show?
More movement & upright positions
Women in the Be-Up birthing room adopted upright positions more frequently during labour and spent less time in lying positions. The study results also showed a significant association between upright maternal positions and women’s experience of self-determination during birth.
Be-Up elements experienced as helpful
In the Be-Up birthing room, 89.1% of women gave birth vaginally. Many women rated the features of the Be-Up birthing room as helpful or extremely helpful: 75% mentioned the foam cubes, 67% the floor mat, and 47% the birthing cube. These results highlight which elements of the Be-Up birthing room women found particularly helpful during labour.
More confidence & reassurance
Women giving birth to their first child reported greater confidence and reassurance in the Be-Up birthing room. Feelings of anxiety or panic occurred less frequently – a statistically significant difference.
Safety for mother & baby
The Be-Up birthing environment proved to be just as safe for mother and baby as a standard birthing room. Complications affecting mothers and babies did not occur more frequently. The study’s ongoing safety monitoring also confirmed the safety of the Be-Up birthing environment for both mother and baby.
Particularly helpful: the Be-Up elements
The flexible foam elements were perceived by women as particularly helpful in coping with contractions and supported the individual choice of different birthing positions.
The Be-Up elements support flexible, needs-based maternity care and create space for individual birthing positions. In this way, the birth environment combines freedom of movement, self-determination and safety during labour.
Study Results & Scientific Documents
In addition to the study results presented above, you can find further scientific documents on the Be-Up Study as well as information on the development and scientific context of the Be-Up birth elements.
Official Results of the Be-Up Study
The official study results provide a more detailed insight into the scientific findings of the Be-Up Study and the birth environment investigated. The full results and further scientific findings are available here as a PDF.
Certificate on the Be-Up Study
The university confirms the special scientific context of the “Be-Up: Geburt aktiv” Study as well as the joint development of the Be-Up foam elements with Nanoform Airbag Sports GmbH. The Be-Up elements are distributed exclusively by our company.
Document available in German
From research into practice
The results of the Be-Up Study highlight the importance of freedom of movement, upright birthing positions and self-determination during birth.
Based on the experiences and findings from the study, the floor mats, mattresses and foam elements used in the study were further optimised and developed for use in maternity care after the study was completed.
Today, Be-Up birth elements are used in hospitals and birth centres to create space for different birthing positions, movement and individual needs. They are also used at universities and other higher education institutions, bringing the principles of a movement-friendly birthing environment into education and training.
This is how scientific research becomes a birthing environment that gives women more space for movement and self-determination during birth.
Scientific background
The Be-Up Study was conducted under the scientific leadership of Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
Scientific lead
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
Medizinische Fakultät
Funded by
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)