Maternal position during the first stage of labor: a systematic review

The Effect on Birth Pain and Process of the Freedom of Movement in the First Stage of Labor: A Randomized Controlled Study

Objective: To determine the effect of freedom of movement implemented in the dilatation stage, which is the first stage of labor, on the labor process in pregnant women who will give their first birth. Methods: This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. The study consisted of 70 primiparous women, including 35 in the study group (SG) and 35 in the control group (CG). Freedom of movement was provided to the study group in the first stage of labor. Data were collected using a Personal Information Questionnaire, a Labor Assessment Form, and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for perceived pain. Results: The SG was observed to be walking when dilatations were 4-7 cm and mostly squatting when 8-10 cm (94.2%). The level of effacement, frequency of contraction, and descent of the fetal head were faster (p

Comparison of the Effect of Maternal Rest in Alternative Lateral Decubitus Positions on the Amniotic Fluid Index: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the effect of maternal rest in the left and right lateral decubitus positions and resting alone on the amniotic fluid index (AFI).

METHOD

Sixty-nine women with singleton pregnancies and an AFI of 6 to 24 cm at 36 to 40 weeks' gestation were included in this randomized controlled trial. The women were randomized into 2 intervention groups. After initial AFI measurements, group 1 (n = 35) rested in the left lateral position for 15 minutes and then rested in the right lateral position for another 15 minutes. Group 2 (n = 34) rested in the right lateral position for 15 minutes and then rested in the left lateral position for another 15 minutes. To compare differences between groups, AFIs were measured at the end of each 15-minute period while the participants were kept on their backs in a semirecumbent position.

RESULTS

The demographic data, gestational ages, and initial AFI values did not differ between groups (P > .05). In group 1, the initial mean AFI ± SD of 12.25 ± 3.81 increased significantly during the first 15 minutes to 15.17 ± 4.27 and decreased significantly during the second 15 minutes to 13.30 ± 4.29 (P< .001); however, the 30-minute AFI was still significantly higher than the initial value (P = .008). In group 2, the initial AFI change during the first 15 minutes, from 12.83 ± 3.99 to 12.72 ± 3.87, was not significant (P> .05); however, it increased significantly to 15.63 ± 4.14 during the second 15 minutes (P< .001). The 30-minute AFI was still significantly higher than the initial value (P< .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal rest in the right lateral decubitus position does not seem to either increase or decrease the AFI, and resting alone does not increase the AFI in the short term.

An overview of systematic reviews of normal labor and delivery management

BACKGROUND

Despite the scientific and medical advances for management of complicated health issues, the current maternity care setting has increased risks for healthy women and their babies. The aim of this study was to conduct an overview of published systematic reviews on the interventions used most commonly for management of normal labor and delivery in the first stage of labor.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The online databases through March 2013, limited to systematic reviews of clinical trials were searched. An updated search was performed in April 2014. Two reviewers independently assessed data inclusion, extraction, and quality of methodology.

RESULTS

Twenty-three reviews (16 Cochrane, 7 non-Cochrane), relating to the most common care practices for management of normal labor and delivery in the first stage of labor, were included. Evidence does not support routine enemas, routine perineal shaving, continuous electronic fetal heart rate monitoring, routine early amniotomy, and restriction of fluids and food during labor. Evidence supports continuity of midwifery care and support, encouragement to non-supine position, and freedom in movement throughout labor. There is insufficient evidence to support routine administration of intravenous fluids and antispasmodics during labor. More evidence is needed regarding delayed admission until active labor and use of partograph.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence-based maternity care emphasizes on the practices that increase safety for mother and baby. If policymakers and healthcare providers wish to promote obstetric care quality successfully, it is important that they implement evidence-based clinical practices in routine midwifery care.

Women's choice of positions during labour: return to the past or a modern way to give birth? A cohort study in Italy

Background. Childbirth medicalization has reduced the parturient's opportunity to labour and deliver in a spontaneous position, constricting her to assume the recumbent one. The aim of the study was to compare recumbent and alternative positions in terms of labour process, type of delivery, neonatal wellbeing, and intrapartum fetal head rotation. Methods. We conducted an observational cohort study on women at pregnancy term. Primiparous women with physiological pregnancies and single cephalic fetuses were eligible for the study. We considered data about maternal-general characteristics, labour process, type of delivery, and neonatal wellbeing at birth. Patients were divided into two groups: Group-A if they spent more than 50% of labour in a recumbent position and Group-B when in alternative ones. Results. 225 women were recruited (69 in Group-A and 156 in Group-B). We found significant differences between the groups in terms of labour length, Numeric Rating Scale score and analgesia request rate, type of delivery, need of episiotomy, and fetal occiput rotation. No differences were found in terms of neonatal outcomes. Conclusion. Alternative maternal positioning may positively influence labour process reducing maternal pain, operative vaginal delivery, caesarean section, and episiotomy rate. Women should be encouraged to move and deliver in the most comfortable position.

Effect of dance labor on the management of active phase labor pain & clients' satisfaction: a randomized controlled trial study

BACKGROUND

There are a wide variety of non- pharmacologic pain relief techniques for labor which include pelvic movement, upright position, back massage and partner support during the first stage of labor. The effectiveness of dance labor- which is a combination of these techniques- has not been evaluated.

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of dance labor in pain reduction and woman's satisfaction during the first stage of labor.

METHODS

60 primiparous women aged 18-35 years old were randomly assigned to dance labor and control groups. In the dance labor group, women were instructed to do standing upright with pelvic tilt and rock their hips back and forth or around in a circle while their partner massaged their back and sacrum for a minimum of 30 minutes. In the control group, the participants received usual care during physiologic labor. Pain and satisfaction scores were measured by Visual Analogue Scale. Data were analyzed by using the t. test and Chi-square.

FINDINGS

Mean pain score in the dance labor group was significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05). The mean satisfaction score in the dance labor group was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Dance labor which is a complementary treatment with low risk can reduce the intensity of pain and increase mothers, satisfaction with care during the active phase of labor.

Clinical outcomes from a prospective study evaluating the role of ambulation during medical termination of pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Although induced abortion is one of the most commonly performed gynecological procedures in Great Britain and medical termination of pregnancy is being used more frequently, very little is known about the role of ambulation during the procedure. We sought to compare ambulatory and non-ambulatory groups of patients undergoing medical termination in the hospital setting and determine whether ambulation impacted clinical outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a prospective patient-preference study carried out among 130 women with pregnancies up to 63 days of gestation fulfilling the requirements of the 1967 Abortion Act and undergoing medical termination of pregnancy. The objective was to evaluate the effect of ambulation during medical termination of pregnancy. The women were given the choice to be ambulatory or non-ambulatory throughout the process of medical termination of pregnancy. They received 200 mg oral mifepristone and 800 mcg vaginal misoprostol for the termination procedure. Outcomes measured included time taken to pass the products of conception, first feeling of abdominal cramps, estimated blood loss, time to discharge from the hospital, pain scores and need for analgesia.

RESULTS

In both ambulatory and non-ambulatory groups, the mean time taken to pass the products of conception was similar: 230.7 min (118-343.4) and 233.0 min (134.5-331.5) for ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients, respectively. Time to onset of cramps was 75.6 min (29.4-121.8) for ambulatory and 91.7 min (22.2-161.2) for non-ambulatory patients, from administration of misoprostol. Mean estimated blood loss (assessed by weighing the pads as well as blood in bed pan) was less than 100 mL in both groups, and overall, approximately 85% of patients ranked their pain score as 3 or less (on a scale of 0-5). There were no statistically significant differences in the ambulatory versus non-ambulatory groups with regard to clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Ambulation during medical termination of pregnancy neither appears to influence the amount of bleeding or pain nor hasten the process of medical termination of pregnancy.

First, do no harm: how routine interventions, common restrictions, and the organization of our health-care system affect the health of mothers and newborns

In this column, the author reprises recent selections from the Lamaze International research blog, Science & Sensibility. Each selection discusses a new study that demonstrates the "First, do no harm" principle in a different way. New research on the potentially harmful effects of intravenous lines demonstrates that refraining from routine interventions in labor protects the safety of women and babies. A new systematic review of movement and position changes in labor shows that eliminating unfounded restrictions also protects maternal and infant health and well-being. Finally, a study of patterns of use of neonatal intensive care units reveals how the organization of the maternity care system itself can affect the health outcomes of its beneficiaries.

The vertical position during labor: pain and satisfaction

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the vertical position adopted by nulliparous women during labor in terms of pain and satisfaction with the position. METHODS: the study was based on a secondary efficacy analysis of data from 107 nulliparous women enrolled in a randomized controlled trial in which the vertical position adopted during the dilation phase of labor was evaluated. The analysis involved comparing the median percentages of the duration for which women remained in the vertical position for each of the variables studied . The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used to determine the difference s betwee n th e groups. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: at 4cm of dilation , the women with a pain score < 5 remained longer in the vertical position during labor compared to those with a score > 7 (p=0.02) . At 4 and 6 cm of dilation , the women who reported greater satisfaction remained more than 50 % of the time in the vertical position (p=0.0 2 an d p=0.03 , respectively). CONCLUSIONS: the vertical position helped relieve labor pain and increased comfort and patient satisfaction.