Effect of Manual Fundal Pressure during the Second Stage of Labor on Maternal Outcomes among Parturient Women

Abstract

Introduction: Fundal pressure during the second stage of labour has been used to assist spontaneous vaginal birth and decrease second stage time or to avoid the need for operative delivery. Aim: to study the effect of manual fundal pressure during the second stage of labor on maternal outcome among parturient women.Subjects and methods: design: A prospective, observational design was used. Sample: 672 parturient women aged 20 to 35 years, pregnant in a singleton, living fetus presented by vertex with gestational age between 37 and 40 weeks, with uncomplicated pregnancies. Tools of data collection: three tools used to collect data. Tool I: to collect characteristics of the study sample, tool II: partogram to collect labor data and tool III: birth outcome sheet. Results: about 63.1% of the study sample underwent performing uterine fundal pressure and the remaining (36.9%) delivered without fundal pressure. About 51.8% of women who delivered with fundal pressure had complications as cervical tears, vaginal tears and post partum hemorrhage. About 17.4 % of non fundal pressure cases delivered with the same complications. Duration of the second stage of labor was shorter in fundal pressure group than non fundal group (82.8% and 60.9% respectively). Conclusion & Recommendation: Women with fundal pressure experience more complications like vaginal and cervical tears compared to non fundal pressure cases. Maternity nurses should be aware about the benefits and risks of uterine fundal pressure technique during childbirth.