RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess professional practices of prolonged and post-term pregnancies in accordance to French guidelines. The secondary outcome was to evaluate neonatal and maternal morbidity during prolonged pregnancy. METHODS: Descriptive retrospective study was conducted in the 23 maternity hospitals of perinatal network between September and December 2018. The inclusion criterion was a birth term of≥41+0 weeks of gestation. Primary outcome was conformity to the national guidelines based on 10 items (conformity score≥80%). The secondary outcome was a composite criteria of neonatal morbidity (ventilation, resuscitation and/or Apgar score<7 at 5minutes) and maternal morbidity (obstetrical anal sphincter injury and/or postpartum hemorrhage). RESULTS: A total of 596 patients were included and the conformity was obtained in 65.3% of cases. Inconsistent criteria were amniotic fluid evaluation by the deepest vertical pocket (46.8%, n=279), and information of patients on prolonged pregnancy management (14.8%, n=88). Adverse perinatal outcome occurred for 40 newborns (6.0%) with shoulder dystocia (OR=5.2; CI 95%: 1.4-19.7) as a principal risk factor. Maternal morbidity outcome occurred in 70 cases (10.6%) primarily with increase in labour duration (OR=1.1 by hour of labour; CI 95%: 1.02-1.24) and prior caesarian section (OR=4.4; CI 95%: 1.8-11.0). CONCLUSIONS: Management of prolonged and post-term pregnancies matching with the French national guidelines. Points of improvement are amniotic fluid evaluation at term by a single deepest vertical pocket, and the information about induction of labour at term.