OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate if visual feedback focusing on the perineum reduced the length of the active second stage of labor in comparison with the control.
STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the University Malaya Medical Centre from December 2021 to August 2022. Nulliparous women about to commence the active second stage, at term, with singleton gestation, reassuring fetal status, and no contraindication for vaginal delivery were randomized to live viewing of the maternal introitus (intervention) or maternal face (sham/placebo control) as visual biofeedback during their pushing. A video camera Bluetooth-linked to a tablet computer display screen was used; in the intervention arm, the camera was focused on the introitus, and in the control arm, on the maternal face. Participants were instructed to watch the display screen during their pushing. The primary outcomes were the intervention-to-delivery interval and maternal satisfaction with the pushing experience assessed using a 0-to-10 visual numerical rating scale. Secondary outcomes included mode of delivery, perineal injury, delivery blood loss, birthweight, umbilical cord arterial blood pH and base excess at birth, Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, and neonatal intensive care unit admission. Data were analyzed with the t test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and Fisher exact test, as appropriate.
RESULTS: A total of 230 women were randomized (115 to intervention and 115 to control arm). The active second stage duration (intervention-to-delivery interval) was a median (interquartile range) of 16 (11-23) and 17 (12-31) minutes (P=.289), and maternal satisfaction with the pushing experience was 9 (8-10) and 7 (6-7) (P
METHODS: A randomized trial was conducted in a University hospital in Malaysia. Nulliparous women at term who were about to start pushing were randomized to massage during pushing and warm compress to the perineum in between pushes or to standard "hands-off" care. Primary outcome was suturing for perineal injury (episiotomy or tear).
RESULTS: A total of 156 participants were analyzed based on intention to treat. Perineal repair rates were 53/79 (67%) for MassComp versus 70/77 (91%) for control (relative risk [RR] 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61-0.98, number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome [NNTb ] 5, 95% CI 2.83-8.62, P second degree or higher) rates 34/79 (43%) versus 51/77 (66%) (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.58-0.97, NNTb 5, 95% CI 2.61-12.56, P = 0.004), episiotomy rates 28/79 (37%) versus 40/77 (53%) (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.52-0.98, NNTb 8, 95% CI 3.63-36.46, P = 0.043), intervention to delivery intervals 29.5 ± 13.6 versus 27.9 ± 13.8 minutes (P = 0.472) and spontaneous vaginal delivery rates 63/79 (79.7%) versus 56/77 (72.7%) (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.92-1.34, P = 0.306) for MassComp versus control, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Massage and warm compress during pushing decreased the perineal suturing, major perineal injury, and episiotomy rates and improved maternal satisfaction.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN42773879.
DESIGN: randomised controlled trial of nulliparous women with spontaneous labour at term.
SETTING: labour suite of a university teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
PARTICIPANTS: 240 women were included (120 randomised into two arms).
INTERVENTIONS: the randomisation sequence was generated using a computer randomisation program in two blocks: oxytocin infused early following amniotomy; and oxytocin infused 2 h after amniotomy.
MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: labour duration, mode of delivery, oxytocin dosage used, uterine hyperstimulation, postpartum haemorrhage, Apgar score and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit were recorded. No differences in vaginal delivery rate (62.9% vs 70.9%; p = 0.248) and second-stage labour were found between the early and delayed oxytocin infusion groups (21.2 ± 18.3 min vs 25.5 ± 19.9 min; p = 0.220). The mean interval from amniotomy to vaginal delivery was significantly shorter for the early group (5.8 ± 1.7 h vs 7.0 ± 1.9 h; p = 0.001), and more women in the early group delivered during/before the planned review at 4 h after amniotomy (53.6% vs 10.6%; p<0.001). Maximum oxytocin usage was lower in the early group (5.6 ± 4.4 mL/hour vs 6.8 ± 5.3 mL/hour; p = 0.104).
KEY CONCLUSIONS: early oxytocin augmentation following amniotomy could be employed in low-risk primigravida, given that it is associated with a shorter labour duration without jeopardising maternal or neonatal outcomes.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: low-risk primigravida benefit from early oxytocin infusion following amniotomy, and this can be offered as an additional practice in labour room care.
METHODS: This was a retrospective ancillary analysis involving 660 nulliparous women carrying an uncomplicated singleton term pregnancy in a prospective perinatal intervention trial at two Australian tertiary obstetric units. They had been seen antenatally and at 3-6 months postpartum for a standardized clinical assessment between 2007 and 2014. Primary outcome measures were sonographically diagnosed LAM and external anal sphincter (EAS) trauma.
RESULTS: The incidence of LAM avulsion (11.5% vs. 21.3%, P = 0.01) and composite trauma, i.e., LAM avulsion ± EAS injury (29.2% vs. 39.7%, P = 0.03) were higher in one of the two hospitals, where the forceps delivery rate was also higher (10.9% vs. 2.6%, P second stage (OR 1.01, P = 0.02) and forceps delivery (OR 5.24, P