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Prevention of primary caesarean delivery: comprehensive management of dystocia in nulliparous patients at term

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

Abstract

Purpose

Dystocia is the leading indication for primary caesarean sections. Our aim is to compare two approaches in the management of dystocia in labor in nulliparous women with a singleton fetus in cephalic presentation at term in spontaneous or induced labor.

Methods

Prospective cohort study. Four hundred and nineteen consecutive patients were divided into two groups: the standard management group (SM), in acceleration of labor was commenced at the “action line” in the case of arrested or protracted labor, and the comprehensive management group (CM) in which arrested or protracted labor was considered as a warning sign promoting further diagnostic assessment prior to considering intervention.

Results

Caesarean sections rate was 22.2 % in the SM group (216 patients) and 10.3 % in the CM group (203 patients) (p = 0.001). The rate of oxytocin use decreased from 33.3 % in SM group to 13.8 % in the CM group (p < 0.0005). The rate of amniotomy decreased from 41.7 % in the SM group to 7.4 % in the CM group (p < 0.0005). The percentage of newborns with 5-min Apgar score <7 and/or umbilical cord arterial pH ≤ 7.00 decreased from 2.3 % in SM cohort to 0.5 % in CM cohort (p = ns). The average length of labor did not differ between the two groups of patients (264 vs 277 min; p = ns).

Conclusion

Comprehensive management of dystocia enabled us to achieve a reduction in iatrogenic interventions in labor while maintaining good neonatal outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento Materno Infantile, U.O.C. di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, Massa Carrara Hospital, Via Enrico Mattei 21, 54100, Massa Carrara, Italy

    Antonio Ragusa

  2. Dipartimento di Salute della Donna e del Bambino, U.O.C. di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 3, 35128, Padua, Italy

    Salvatore Gizzo & Marco Noventa

  3. Department of Woman, Mother and Newborn, School of Medicine, Ospedale “V. Buzzi”, Milan, Italy

    Enrico Ferrazzi

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, San Giovanni di Dio General Hospital, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    Sara Deiana

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Carlo Poma General Hospital, Mantua, Italy

    Alessandro Svelato

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  1. Antonio Ragusa
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  2. Salvatore Gizzo
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  3. Marco Noventa
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  4. Enrico Ferrazzi
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Correspondence to Antonio Ragusa.

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Ragusa, A., Gizzo, S., Noventa, M. et al. Prevention of primary caesarean delivery: comprehensive management of dystocia in nulliparous patients at term. Arch Gynecol Obstet 294, 753–761 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-016-4046-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-016-4046-5

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