Duration of labour with spontaneous onset at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin Nigeria
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Date
2011-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Medknow
Abstract
Background/Objective: Duration of labor varies from one pregnancy to another and a period of less than 12 hours
is regarded as normal. Modern obstetric practice involves active management of labor with the aim of preventing
prolonged labor and its sequelae. The main objective of this study was to determine and compare the average
duration of labor of spontaneous onset between nulliparas (Po) and multiparas (P 1) and to determine factors
affecting duration of labor.
Materials and Methods: This study was a prospective study carried out between 15 May and 14 June 2004 at the
Labor Ward of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. Two hundred and thirty-eight women who
satisfi ed the inclusion criteria were studied. The inclusion criteria were term pregnancy with vertex presentation,
labor with spontaneous onset, live fetus at presentation and spontaneous vertex delivery.
Results: The mean ± SD admission–delivery interval in labor ward was shorter (3.77 ± 2.88 hours) among multiparas
than that of nulliparas (5.00 ± 3.17 hours) (P = 0.235). The mean ± SD duration of labor (from the onset of labor to
delivery) was shorter among multiparas (8.73 ± 4.17 hours) than that of nulliparas (11.23 ± 4.29 hours) (P = 0.426).
The differences were not signifi cant (t-test, P > 0.05). Maternal age and individual parity had signifi cant correlation
with the duration of labor in this study (Pearson correlation = −0.019, −0.027, respectively, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Interestingly, duration of labor was not signifi cantly different among multiparas and nulliparas although
it was shorter. Correlation existed between duration of labor and maternal age and individual parity.
Description
Keywords
Duration, Multipara, Nullipara, Spontaneous labour