A randomized trial of amniotomy in active labor.
The role of amniotomy in active labor is controversial because of contradictory data and a paucity of randomized studies. A randomized trial was conducted on the role of amniotomy in spontaneous labor. Fifty-three women who were admitted to the Family Medicine Service in active labor were randomly assigned to receive amniotomy (n = 26) or no amniotomy (n = 27). Amniotomy shortened the time from randomization to delivery by 143 minutes (t = 2.3, P less than .05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 19-265). After adjusting for possible confounders, the effect of amniotomy was to shorten labor by 155 minutes (CI = 9-301). The effect of amniotomy on labor was not found to be related to parity or cervical dilatation. Amniotomy had no apparent effect on Apgar scores or use of analgesia.
Franks
P
P
Department of Family Medicine, University of Rochester, NY 14620.
D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion / Q000601:surgery*; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical; D001034:Apgar Score; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D011247:Pregnancy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors