title: Upright position during the first stage of labor: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evaluation of the upright position during the first stage of labor on pain, patient satisfaction, obstetrical and perinatal outcomes in nullipara women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective, randomised, controlled trial included a group of 54 women who were informed and encouraged to adopt the upright position, and a control group of 53 women who were not given this information. The difference between groups was evaluated using the chi2, Wilcoxon and Fisher's Exact tests. Significance was defined as p<0.05. Risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in baseline characteristics, obstetrical and perinatal outcomes; however, there was a preference among women in both groups for the upright position.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The upright position during the first stage of labor did not contribute towards a shorter duration of labor; however, it proved to be a safe and well-accepted option for the women of this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Amelia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miquelutti
authors.forename: Jose Guilherme
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Cecatti
authors.forename: Maria Yolanda
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Makuch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D048949:Labor Pain; D007747:Labor Stage, First / Q000502:physiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011187:Posture; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome