Effects of different timing selections of labor analgesia for primiparae on parturition and neonates

Abstract

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of labor analgesia for primiparae with different stages of cervical dilation on parturition and neonates. Materials and methodsIn the past three years, 530 cases of primiparae who had delivered in the Second People's Hospital of Hefei and were eligible for a vaginal trial of parturition were enrolled as the research subjects. Of these, 360 puerperae had labor analgesia, and the remaining 170 were taken as the control group. Those given labor analgesia were divided into three groups based on the different stages of cervical dilation at that time. There were 160 cases in Group I (cervical dilation <3 cm), 100 cases in Group II (cervical dilation of 3–4 cm), and 100 cases in Group III (cervical dilation of 4–6 cm). The labor and neonatal outcomes were compared among the four groups. ResultsThe first, second, and total stages of labor in the three groups receiving labor analgesia were all longer than in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05 in all). Group I had the longest duration of each stage and the total stage of labor. The differences in labor stages and the total stage of labor were not statistically significant between Group II and Group III (P > 0.05). In the three groups with labor analgesia, the usage rate of oxytocin was higher than in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The differences in the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage, the incidence of postpartum urine retention, and the episiotomy rate were not statistically significant among the four groups (P > 0.05). The differences in the neonatal Apgar score were not statistically significant among the four groups (P > 0.05). ConclusionLabor analgesia might prolong the stages of labor but does not affect the neonatal outcomes. It would be optimal to conduct labor analgesia when cervical dilation reaches 3–4 cm.