title: The effect of perineal control with hands-on and hand-poised methods on perineal trauma and delivery outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the two methods of delivery, "hands-on" vs. "hands poised", on perineal trauma and delivery outcome in primiparous women referred to Shariati Hospital of Isfahan during 2007-2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a clinical trial study, 100 low risk primiparous pregnant women were randomly assigned to two hands-on and hand-poised (hands-off) groups. In the hands-on group, this method was used to control fetal head in the second stage of labor. It means that the fingers of one hand supported fetal occiput and the other hand applied slight pressure on the head to control the delivery of the head during the crowning process. In the hands-poised group, midwife observed the parturient woman and do not touch perineum during the second labor stage while fetal head was delivering. Then, the two groups were compared in terms of perineal trauma, as well as neonatal and delivery outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Demographic characteristics of all studied women were similar in two groups. The rate of episiotomy was higher in hands-on group (84% vs. 40%, p = 0.001). The rate of postpartum hemorrhage (4(th) stage) was higher in hands-on group (12% vs. 4%, p = 0.04). The rate of mild and moderate postpartum pain in hands-on group was higher than hands-off group (70% vs. 58% and 29% vs. 10%, p < 0.001) but sever pain was not different in two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that hands-poised method is associated with less perineal trauma, particularly regarding the lower need for episiotomy and postpartum hemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Najaf Abad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foroughipour
authors.forename: Farah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Firuzeh
authors.forename: Ataolah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghahiri
authors.forename: Vajihe
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Norbakhsh
authors.forename: Tayebeh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heidari