title: Relationship between intrapartum transperineal ultrasound measurement of angle of progression and head-perineum distance with correlation to conventional clinical parameters of labor progress and time to delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether angle of progression (AOP) and head-perineum distance (HPD) measured by intrapartum transperineal ultrasound (ITU) correlate with clinical fetal head station (station); and whether AOP versus HPD varies during uterine contraction and relaxation. In a subset of primiparous women, whether these ITU parameters correlate with time to normal spontaneous delivery (TD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated prospectively 100 primiparous and multiparous women at term in active labor. Transabdominal and transperineal ultrasound (sagittal and transverse plane) were used to measure fetal head position and ITU parameters, respectively. Digitally palpated station and cervical dilatation were also noted. The results were compared using regression and correlation coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Station was moderately correlated with AOP (r = 0.579) and HPD (r = -0.497). AOP was highly correlated with HPD during uterine contraction (r = -0.703) and relaxation (r = -0.647). In the subgroup of primiparous women, natural log of TD has the highest correlation with HPD and AOP during uterine contraction (r = 0.742), making prediction of TD similar to that of using cervical dilatation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ITU parameters were moderately correlated with station. There was constant high correlation between AOP and HPD. Prediction of TD in primiparous women using ITU parameters was similar to that of using cervical dilatation.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology , Kwong Wah Hospital , Hong Kong SAR , China.
authors.forename: Ying Tze Viola
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Vivian Kwun Sin
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Wai Kuen
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.forename: Tsz Kin
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Wing Cheong
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Wai Lam
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D007747:Labor Stage, First / Q000502:physiology; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D010173:Palpation; D010502:Perineum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Cervical dilatation; fetal head station; labor; transperineal ultrasound; vaginal delivery; vaginal examination