Augmentation of Labour

doi:10.1017/9781108863049.049

Chapter 48 - Augmentation of Labour

from Section 5 - Intrapartum Care

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2021

Rumana Rahman and

Neela Mukhopadhaya

Edited by

Tahir Mahmood ,

Charles Savona Ventura ,

Ioannis Messinis and

Sambit Mukhopadhyay

Show author details

Tahir Mahmood: Affiliation:
Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy
Charles Savona Ventura: Affiliation:
University of Malta, Malta
Ioannis Messinis: Affiliation:
University of Thessaly, Greece
Sambit Mukhopadhyay: Affiliation:
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, UK

Book contents

Get access

Summary

Augmentation of labour is the process of stimulating the uterus to increase the frequency, duration and intensity of contractions after the onset of labour. Augmentation is used to treat delayed labour when uterine contractions are assessed to be insufficiently strong or inappropriately coordinated to effectively cause cervical dilation or effacement. Labour augmentation has traditionally been performed with the use of intravenous oxytocin infusion and/or artificial rupture of amniotic membranes. The procedure aims to shorten labour in order to prevent complications relating to undue prolongation and to avert caesarean section. It is central to the concept of active management of the first stage of labour, which was proposed about four decades ago as a strategy for expediting labour and reducing caesarean section rates [1].

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: The EBCOG Postgraduate Textbook of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Obstetrics & Maternal-Fetal Medicine
, pp. 398 - 402

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108863049.049 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2021

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

O’Driscoll, K, Foley, M, MacDonald, D. Active management of labour as an alternative to caesarean section for dystocia. Obstet Gynecol. 1984;63(4):485–90.Google Scholar

Petrie, K, Larimore, WL. Management of labor. In Ratcliffe, SD, Baxley, EG, Cline, MK, Sakornbut, EL, eds. Family Medicine Obstetrics, 3rd ed. St Louis: Mosby, 2008. pp. 382–434.Google Scholar

Dencker, A, Taft, C, Bergqvist, L, Lilja, H, Berg, M. Childbirth experience questionnaire (CEQ): Development and evaluation of a multidimensional instrument. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth [Internet]. 2010;10(1):81. Available from: www.biomedcentral.com/1471–2393/10/81 Google Scholar

Pang, MW, Leung, TN, Lau, TK, Hang Chung, TK. Impact of first childbirth on changes in women’s preference for mode of delivery: follow-up of a longitudinal observational study. Birth. 2008, 35(2):121–8.Google Scholar

Bergqvist, L, Dencker, A, Ladfors, L, Skaring Thorse’n, L, Lilja, H. Labor augmentation by means of oxytocin – women’s experiences. Amer J Obstet Gynecol. 2006;195. 10.1016/j.ajog.2006.10.346.Google Scholar

Petrie, K, Larimore, WL. Management of labor abnormalities. In Ratcliffe, SD, Baxley, EG, Cline, MK, Sakornbut, EL, eds. Family Medicine Obstetrics, 3rd ed. St Louis: Mosby, 2008. pp. 435–53.Google Scholar

Arrowsmith, S, Wray, S. Oxytocin: its mechanism of action and receptor signalling in the myometrium. J Neuroendocrinol.2014;26:356–69. doi:10.1111/jne.12154Google Scholar

du Vigneaud, V, Ressler, C, Swan, J, et al. The synthesis of an octapeptide amide with the hormonal activity of oxytocin. J Am Chem Soc. 1953;75(19):4879–80.Google Scholar

Grotedut, CA, Gunatilake, RP, Feng, L, et al. The influence of maternal body mass index on myometrial oxytocin receptor expression in pregnancy. Reprod Sci. 2013; 20(12):1471–7.Google Scholar

Lopez-Zeno, JA, Peaceman, AM, Adashek, JA, et al. A controlled trial of a program for the active management of labor. N Engl J Med. 1992;326(7):450–4.Google Scholar

Frigoletto, FD Jr, Lieberman, E, Lang, JM, et al. A clinical trial of active management of labor. N Engl J Med. 1995;333(12):745–50.Google Scholar

Fraser, W, Vendittelli, F, Krauss, I, et al. Effects of early augmentation of labour with amniotomy and oxytocin in nulliparous women: a meta-analysis. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1998;105(2):189–94.Google Scholar

Kenyon, S, Tokumasu, H, Dowswell, T, et al. High-dose versus low-dose oxytocin for augmentation of delayed labour. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013;(7):CD007201.Google Scholar

Selin, L, Wennerholm, UB, Jonsson, M, et al. High-dose versus low dose of oxytocin for labour augmentation: a randomised controlled trial. Women Birth. 2019;32(4):356–63.Google Scholar

Clark, S, Belfort, M, Saade, G, et al. Implementation of a conservative checklist-based protocol for oxytocin administration: maternal and newborn outcomes. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007;197(5):480.e1-5.Google Scholar

Zhang, J, Troendle, JF, Yancey, MK. Reassessing the labour curve in nulliparous women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002;187(4):824–8.Google Scholar

Zhang, J, Landy, HJ, Branch, DW, et al. Contemporary patterns of spontaneous labor with normal neonatal outcomes. Obstet Gynecol. 2010;116(6):1281–7.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Bernitz, S, Dalbye, R, Ahang, J, et al. The frequency of intrapartum caesarean section use with the WHO partograph versus Zhang’s guideline in the Labour Progression Study (LaPS): a multicentre, cluster-randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2019;393:340–8.Google Scholar

WHO Recommendations for Augmentation of Labour. Geneva: WHO; 2014. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/112825/9789241507363_eng.pdf;jsessionid=6E74F60E7DA3BB10602DDC3561AA6F68?sequence=1 Google Scholar

Accessibility standard: Unknown

Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this book is currently unknown and may be updated in the future.