European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Background: Programmed labour protocol was developed with principles asensuring adequate uterine contractions , providing optimum pain relief & close clinical monitoring of labor events. Present study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Programmed Labour protocol in a study group as against Spontaneous progression of labour in primigravida patients. Material and Methods: The present study was a hospital based randomized prospective clinical study, conducted in primigravidae at term with cephalic presentation, adequate liquor and no high risk factors and in active phase of first stage of labour or Cervical dilatation ≥ 3cm, ≥ 80% effacement and intact membranes, Reactive stress Test. 200 primigravidas were alternately allocated into 2 groups. as study group (100 women received programmed labour protocol) & control Group (100 women were observed expectantly and underwent spontaneous labour). Results: Mean age of patients in the study group was 23.13 ± 2.46 years and 23.74 ± 2.58 years in the control group. Among patients of the study group; period of gestation was 38.87 ±1.00 weeks and 38.74 ± 1.12 weeks in the control group. We compared various labour related parameters such as duration of active phase of labour (hours), rate of cervical dilatation (cm/hr), duration of 2nd stage of labour (mins), duration of 3rdstage of labour (mins), total duration of labour (min) & average blood loss (ml) between study & control group. All above parameters were favourable in study group & difference was highly significant statistically (p<0.001). Perception in degree of pain relief among patients of the study and control group was found be highly significant statistically. (p<0.001) i.e. pain relief was significantly much higher among patients of the study group than pain relief in control group patients. The difference in degree of maternal satisfaction in the study and control group was found be statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: Programmed labour is safe, effective providing labour analgesia; facilitating cervical dilation and shortening duration of labour with good maternal and fetal outcomes