Table 3

Effects of intervention on the events of labor and delivery, according to group

Event
Support
(n = 105)
Control
(N = 107)
RR
(95% CI)
p value

Cervical dilation [median (range)]




     Amniotomy
5 (3–8)
5 (3–10)
-
0.958
     Oxytocin
4 (3–9)
4 (3–9)
-
0.653
     Analgesia
5 (3–10)
5 (3–10)
-
0.253
Functional Dystocia




     Absent
99
97
-
0.655
     Tachysystole
2
3
0.66 (0.11–3.87)

     Hypo/oligo-systole
4
7
0.58 (0.17–1.91)

Color of amniotic fluid




     Clear
91
80
-
0.020
     Meconium-stained
13
26
0.51 (0.28–0.94)

Fetal heart rate




     Unaltered
81
76
-

     Altered
24
31
1.18 (0.84–1.66)
0.309
Type of delivery




     Vaginal
94
95
-

     Caesarean
11
12
0.93 (0.43–2.02)
0.862
Time [median (range)]




     First stage of labor§ (h)
3.4 (1.2–15.5)
3.8 (1.4–11.8)
-
0.123
     Admission – amniotomy (h)
1.1 (0–6.9)
1.2 (0–9.0)
-
0.639
     Admission – analgesia (h)
1.7 (0.1–7.8)
1.8 (0.3–9.3)
-
0.283
     Second stage of labor§ (min)
18 (4.8 – 75)
16.2 (1.2–48)
-
0.368
     Analgesia – birth (h)
2.3 (0.1–14.6)
2.3 (0.1–8.6)
-
0.605
     Hospital admission – birth (h)
3.8 (1–16)
4.3 (1.3–12.2)
-
0.284

Wilcoxon test, §Caesarean sections excluded, Chi-square test

Bruggemann et al. Reproductive Health 2007 4:5   doi:10.1186/1742-4755-4-5