Different management for women in the third stage of labour

Abstract

Active management of the third stage of labour involves giving a prophylactic uterotonic, early cord clamping, controlled cord traction and uterine massage. Active management of the third stage, as the main package of procedure to prevent postpartum hemorrhage, can effectively shorten the third stage of labor and reduce the incidence of severe postpartum hemorrhage, this is a major cause of women dying in developing countries. In developed countries, severe bleeding occurs much less often, yet active management has become standard practice in many countries for several decades. The most common complications of active management of the third stage of labor are pain and side effects of oxytocin, in addition to serious complications such as inversion of uterus and retained placental. Therefore, in recent years, a variety of interventions have been adopted in the third stage of labour, especially for low-risk pregnant women, which have been questioned and the evidence for using active management for all women is insufficient. The purpose of this article is to compare the effectiveness and variations of different management of the third stage of labour, and provide the basis for reasonable and individualized management of the third stage of labour, ultimately promote the natural labour. Key words: The third stage of labour; Active management; Expectant management; Mixed management