Maternal positions and mobility during first stage labour

A. Lawrence, Lucy Lewis, G.J. Hofmeyr, T. Dowsell, C. Styles

Research output: Contribution to journalLiterature review

195 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background

It is more common for women in both high- and low-income countries giving birth in health facilities, to labour in bed. There is no evidence that this is associated with any advantage for women or babies, although it may be more convenient for staff. Observational studies have suggested that if women lie on their backs during labour this may have adverse effects on uterine contractions and impede progress in labour, and in some women reduce placental blood flow.

Objectives

To assess the effects of encouraging women to assume different upright positions (including walking, sitting, standing and kneeling) versus recumbent positions (supine, semi-recumbent and lateral) for women in the first stage of labour on duration of labour, type of birth and other important outcomes for mothers and babies.

Search methods

We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group’s Trials Register (31 January 2013).

Selection criteria

Randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing women randomised to upright versus recumbent positions in the first stage of labour.

Data collection and analysis

We used methods described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions for carrying out data collection, assessing study quality and analysing results. Two review authors independently evaluated methodological quality and extracted data for each study. We sought additional information from trial authors as required. We used random-effects analysis for comparisons in which high heterogeneity was present. We reported results using the average risk ratio (RR) for categorical data and mean difference (MD) for continuous data.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-85
JournalCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009

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