Impact of early admission in labor on maternal and neonatal outcomes in Hajar health-care center of Shahr-e-Kord, Iran

Time of hospitalization of women for delivery can have an important impact on the outcome of labor and attention to it could prevent many complications affecting mother and fetus. The aim of this study was to detect the impact of early admission of women in labor and maternal and neonatal outcomes. In this descriptive and analytical study, 463 women with low risk Pregnancy single fetus and vertex presentation, that had been admitted in their latent phase (group 1) and 287 women who had similar characteristics and had been admitted in their active phase (group 2) were assessed in Hajar hospital from February to November 2004. Information recording forms and check lists were used for data collection. SPSS software, t-test, chi -square and logistic regression tests were used to analize the obtained data. P<0.05 was considered as the significant level. 463 (61.7%) of women admitted were in their latent phase and 287 (38.3%) cases were in their active phase of labor. Mean age of mother, gestational age based on left mentoposterior (LMP) and sonography, mean birth weight and Apgar score of neonates were not significant in the two groups. Although the number of women who were augmentated with oxytocin due to dystocia were similar in the two groups (79.9%, 76.5%), the incidence of cesarean section in women who received oxytocin was more in group 1 than in group 2 (57.2% versus 25.8%, P<0.001). Total rate of cesarean section was more in group 1 than in group 2 (363 versus 118, P<0.001).The main Cause of cesarean section in group 1 was dystocia and in group 2 it was fetal distress. There was no difference in the rates of forceps delivery, vacuum extraction, neonatal intubation and postpartum hemorrhage in two groups. It is suggested that pregnant women should be sufficiently instructed about prenatal care regarding the signs of the beginning of active labor and they had better refer to the hospital when in the active phase of labor in order to prevent complications which could be resulted from early admission.