ABSTRACT

Objective:

To determine the effects of artificial amniotomy on duration of labor, the need of oxytocine, cesarean sectio rate, fetal and neonatal status, maternal morbidity.

Study Design:

We studied 85 women whose mean ages 25+-4,64 years and mean parity 1,69+-1,08, mean gestational ages 38+-1.08 weeks in spontaneous labor, single fetus in cephalic presentation. 47(%55,29) patients were nullipare. After admission and examination and FHR records, amniotomy was performed.The oxytocine infusione was begun to 54 of the cases. FHR patterns, the time of full dilatation and delivery, the use of oxytocine, obstetric interventions, meconium staining, 1 and 5- min Apgar scores, maternal fever, hospitalization days were recorded. The comparisons of group means were performed using Student’s t test.The x2 test was used for comparison of proportion. Comparisons between the study group and conservative management group (60 patients) was performed with Student’ s t test and Mann WhitneyU test.

Results and Conclusions:

Amniotomy reduces the duration of labor mainly by shortening the latent phase (8,23 hvs 10,5 h p<0,05)without affecting the need of oxytocine use , newborn and maternal morbidity. The cesarean section rate in amniotomy group was lower than control group but not significantly (amniotomy %6,3; controls%25). During artificial amniotomy, if the cervical dilatation was becoming smaller, the rate of cesarean sectionwas getting higher (p<0,05)