title: The partogram's result and neonatal outcome.
abstract: The aim was to investigate to what extent low Apgar scores are linked to the partogram's result and, more specifically, if the action line should be set 3 rather than 4 h parallel and right to the alert line. Some 24.0% of all labours evolved left to the alert line and 26.3% of the labours right to the alert line crossed the 4-h action line. An Apgar score of <or=6 at 1 min was an indicator for resuscitation. More than one-third of the low Apgar scores occurred during normal labour left to the alert line. Crossing the alert line yielded a relative risk (RR) for resuscitation of 1.91 (95% confidence interval, CI 1.44 - 2.52); p < 0.0001). Crossing the 4 h rather than the 3 h action line resulted in a RR for resuscitation of 1.41 (1.04 - 1.90) (p = 0.07). There is no clear indication suggesting that an action line set 1 h earlier would improve pregnancy outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Philadelphia Hospital, Dennilton, South Africa. ljfvanbo@lantic.net
authors.forename: L-J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Van Bogaert
mesh_terms: D001034:Apgar Score; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012151:Resuscitation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013019:South Africa; D013997:Time Factors