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Sonographic risk assessment for an unplanned operative delivery: a prospective study

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To assess the value of pre-labor maternal and fetal sonographic variables to predict an unplanned operative delivery.

Methods

In this prospective study, nulliparous women were recruited at 37.0–42.0 weeks of gestation. Sonographic measurements included estimated fetal weight, maternal pubic arch angle, and the angle of progression. We performed a descriptive and comparative analysis between two outcome groups: spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) and unplanned operative delivery (UOD) (vacuum-assisted, forceps-assisted and cesarean deliveries). Multivariate logistic regression with ROC analysis was used to create discriminatory models for UOD.

Results

Among 234 patients in the study group, 175 had a spontaneous vaginal delivery and 59 an unplanned operative delivery. Maternal height and pubic arch angle (PAA) significantly correlated with UOD. Analysis of Maximum Likelihood Estimates revealed a multivariate model for the prediction of UOD, including the parameters of maternal age, maternal height, sonographic PAA, angle of progression (AOP), and estimated fetal weight, with an area under the curve of 0.7118.

Conclusion

Sonographic parameters representing maternal pelvic configuration (PAA) and maternal–fetal interface (AOP) improve the prediction ability of pre-labor models for a UOD. These data may aid the obstetrician in the counseling process before delivery.

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Data availability

Available upon request.

Code availability

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Funding

This study was not funded.

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Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

SP: project development, data collection and management, data analysis, manuscript writing/editing. HS: data management, data analysis, manuscript writing/editing. ZK: project development, manuscript writing/editing. RB: manuscript writing and editing. EK: manuscript writing and editing. RA: project development, Manuscript writing/editing. YG: project development, data collection and management, data analysis, manuscript writing/editing. Other (please specify briefly using 1–5 words).

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sharon Perlman.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declared that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

0828-17-RMC, 7656-10-SMC.

Consent to participate

All patients provided written informed consent to participate in the study.

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Perlman, S., Schreiber, H., Kivilevitch, Z. et al. Sonographic risk assessment for an unplanned operative delivery: a prospective study. Arch Gynecol Obstet 306, 1469–1475 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-022-06413-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-022-06413-7

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