title: The effect of inflatable obstetric belts in nulliparous pregnant women receiving patient-controlled epidural analgesia during the second stage of labor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of inflatable obstetric belts on uterine fundal pressure in the management of the second stage of labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 2009 and December 2010, 188 nulliparous women with a singleton pregnancy at term were enrolled and only one dropped. The participants were randomized to receive either standard care (control group, n = 91) or uterine fundal pressure by the Labor Assister (Baidy M-520/Curexo, Inc., Seoul, Korea; active group, n = 97) during the second stage of labor in addition to standard care. The Labor Assister is an inflatable obstetric belt that is synchronized to apply constant fundal pressure during a uterine contraction. The primary endpoint was duration of the second stage of labor in women who delivered vaginally (control, n = 80 versus active, n = 93). It was not analyzed in women who delivered by cesarean section (n = 14) and delivered precipitously (n = 1). The secondary outcomes are perinatal outcomes and perineal laceration. Participants received patient-controlled epidural analgesia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 93 women in the active group spent less time in the second stage of labor when compared to the 80 women in the control group (46.51 ± 28.01 min versus 75.02 ± 37.48 min, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in perinatal outcomes and perineal laceration between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The uterine fundal pressure exerted by the inflatable obstetric belt reduces the duration of the second stage of labor without complications in nulliparous women who receive patient-controlled epidural analgesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chonnam National University Medical School , Gwangju , Korea .
authors.forename: Jong-Woon
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon Ha
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hye Yon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hee-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Jong Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Sea Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Keun-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Pil-Ryang
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods*; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical / Q000379:methods*; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled / Q000379:methods*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007748:Labor Stage, Second; D008297:Male; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011312:Pressure; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology