Parents and newborn "togetherness" after birth.

PURPOSE: Zero separation is a family-centred approach where newborns should be accompanied by their parents, regardless of the type of birth or health status. To our knowledge, few studies have described the way this approach is realized in clinical practice. This study describes situations of separation between mother/partner and newborn after birth on the labour ward, maternity ward and at the neonatal unit. METHOD: An observation study was conducted during four months at a Swedish hospital. All caregivers at the three units were given the task of collecting the data. A semantic thematic analysis was performed with an inductive approach. RESULTS: Six themes emerged from the analysis. Two themes were common to all three units, one theme was common to two units and three themes emerged at only one unit. The themes describe various causes of separation, such as organizational and economic barriers, clinical routines, parents' own decisions, shortage of collaboration within and between units, as well as a shortage of interprofessional communication. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that there is still a gap between the latest evidence-based knowledge of the importance of zero separation and current practice in newborn care. There is a need for continuous collaboration between all units responsible for the care of mother and newborn.

Dosage of oxytocin for augmentation of labor and women's childbirth experiences: A randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare childbirth experiences and experience of labor pain in primiparous women who had received high- vs low-dose oxytocin for augmentation of delayed labor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multicenter, parallel, double-blind randomized controlled trial took place in six Swedish labor wards. Inclusion criteria were healthy primiparous women at term with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies, cephalic fetal presentation, spontaneous onset of labor, confirmed delayed labor progress and ruptured membranes. The randomized controlled trial compared high- vs low-dose oxytocin used for augmentation of a delayed labor progress. The Childbirth Experience Questionnaire version 2 (CEQ2) was sent to the women 1 month after birth. The CEQ2 consists of 22 items in four domains: Own capacity, Perceived safety, Professional support and Participation. In addition, labor pain was reported with a visual analog scale (VAS) 2 hours postpartum and 1 month after birth. The main outcome was the childbirth experience measured with the four domains of the CEQ2. The clinical trial number is NCT01587625. RESULTS: The CEQ2 was sent to 1203 women, and a total of 1008 women (83.8%) answered the questionnaire. The four domains of childbirth experience were scored similarly in the high- and low-dose oxytocin groups of women: Own capacity (P = .36), Perceived safety (P = .44), Professional support (P = .84), Participation (P = .49). VAS scores of labor pain were reported as similar in both oxytocin dosage groups. Labor pain was scored higher 1 month after birth compared with 2 hours postpartum. There was an association between childbirth experiences and mode of birth in both the high- and low-dose oxytocin groups. CONCLUSIONS: Different dosage of oxytocin for augmentation of delayed labor did not affect women's childbirth experiences assessed through CEQ2 1 month after birth, or pain assessment 2 hours or 1 month after birth.

High-dose versus low-dose of oxytocin for labour augmentation: a randomised controlled trial.

PROBLEM: Delayed labour progress is common in nulliparous women, often leading to caesarean section despite augmentation of labour with synthetic oxytocin. BACKGROUND: High- or low-dose oxytocin can be used for augmentation of delayed labour, but evidence for promoting high-dose is weak. Aim To ascertain the effect on caesarean section rate of high-dose versus low-dose oxytocin for augmentation of delayed labour in nulliparous women. Methods Multicentre parallel double-blind randomised controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01587625) in six labour wards in Sweden. Healthy nulliparous women at term with singleton cephalic fetal presentation, spontaneous labour onset, confirmed delay in labour and ruptured membranes (n=1351) were randomised to labour augmentation with either high-dose (6.6 mU/minute) or low-dose (3.3 mU/minute) oxytocin infusion. FINDINGS: 1295 women were included in intention-to-treat analysis (high-dose n=647; low-dose n=648). Caesarean section rates did not differ between groups (12.4% and 12.3%, 95% Confidence Interval -3.7 to 3.8). Women with high-dose oxytocin had: shorter labours (-23.4min); more uterine tachysystole (43.2% versus 33.5%); similar rates of instrumental vaginal births, with more due to fetal distress (43.8% versus 22.7%) and fewer due to failure to progress (39.6% versus 58.8%). There were no differences in neonatal outcomes. DISCUSSION: Our study could not confirm results of two systematic reviews indicating, with weak evidence, that use of high-dose oxytocin was associated with lower frequency of caesarean section. CONCLUSION: We found no advantages for routine use of high-dose oxytocin in the management of delay in labour. Low-dose oxytocin regimen is recommended to avoid unnecessary events of tachysystole and fetal distress.

Use and abuse of oxytocin for augmentation of labor.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of oxytocin for augmentation of labor and its relation to labor progress and delivery outcome. DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective observational study undertaken in a Swedish hospital during 2000-2001. SAMPLE: Singleton pregnancies at > or = 37 weeks of gestation with cephalic presentation and spontaneous onset of labor. METHODS: Data were collected from 1,263 clinical records. The partogram was used to diagnose labor dystocia (LD). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of oxytocin administration, LD and operative delivery. RESULTS: Oxytocin was administered to 55% of the women (75% of primiparas and 38.1% of multiparas); a majority did not meet LD criteria. LD frequency was 19.8% (32.7% in primiparas and 7.4% in multiparas). Oxytocin was started both 'too early' and 'too late' in relation to the diagnosis of LD. Cesarean section (CS) was performed on 17.1% of primiparous and 2.4% of multiparous oxytocin recipients with LD, compared to 2.3 and 1.5%, respectively, of oxytocin recipients without diagnosed LD. CONCLUSIONS: Oxytocin augmentation was undertaken in an unstructured manner; some women were inadequately treated and others were treated unnecessarily. Oxytocin recipients with LD underwent operative delivery to a higher extent than oxytocin recipients without LD, suggesting that the main reason for CS was the underlying problem of LD rather than the oxytocin augmentation itself.

Dystocia in labour - risk factors, management and outcome: a retrospective observational study in a Swedish setting.

BACKGROUND: Labour dystocia (LD) is associated with adverse maternal and child outcomes. This study investigated obstetric risk factors, frequency of interventions and delivery outcomes for LD. METHODS: A retrospective, observational, study of 1,480 deliveries was undertaken in a Swedish district hospital during 2000 and 2001. RESULTS: LD was identified in 21% of deliveries, 16.7% of which ended in caesarean section (CS) compared to 1.7% of deliveries without LD. Multiparity with no previous vaginal delivery (OR=6.0), epidural analgesia (EDA) at cervical dilation < or =5 cm (OR=4.6), primiparity (OR=4.5), gestational age > or =42 weeks (OR=3.1), birth weight >4,000 g (OR=2.7) and EDA at cervical dilation >5 cm (OR=2.0) were major independent risk factors for LD. CONCLUSIONS: In delivery management, special attention should be directed to primiparous women and multiparous women with no previous vaginal delivery. Women given EDA, especially at cervical dilation < or =5 cm are also of particular interest. Furthermore, rigorous routines for LD diagnosis and oxytocin augmentation are important.