Early or late bath during the first stage of labour: a randomised study of 200 women.
OBJECTIVE
To compare obstetric outcome after a bath offered to women on two different occasions during the first stage of labour. The aim of the study was to determine whether an early bath affected the progress of labour and the use of analgesia when compared with a late bath during the first stage of labour.


METHODS
A randomised prospective pilot-study.


METHODS
The delivery ward at Ostra Hospital in Göteborg.


METHODS
Two hundred women, at low obstetric risk.


METHODS
The women were randomised to either the 'early bath group' or the 'late bath group'. The women in the 'early bath group' had a bath before a cervical dilatation of 5 cm, while the women in the 'late bath group' had a bath after the cervix was 5 cm dilated.


RESULTS
The women in the 'early bath group' had a longer time period from established labour to delivery (9.8 hours) compared to the 'late bath group' (8.5 hours) (p < 0.004). A higher proportion of women in the 'early bath group' needed oxytocin administration (57%) compared to the 'late bath group' (30%) (p < 0.01). Epidural analgesia was used by 27% of the women in the 'early bath group' and by 9% in the 'late bath group' (p < 0.001). One baby in the 'early bath group' had clinical signs of infection and required antibiotic treatment. No cases of amnionitis or endometritis were present in the women.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that a bath during the first stage of labour should preferably be used after a cervical dilatation of 5 cm to avoid prolonged labour, and an increased use of oxytocin and epidural analgesia.
Eriksson
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ostra Hospital, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
Mattsson
L A
LA
Ladfors
L
L
D000328:Adult; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001494:Baths / Q000451:nursing*; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007747:Labor Stage, First; D009773:Obstetric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors