Duration of labour in consecutive deliveries: a retrospective data analysis

Abstract

Purpose Labour is shorter in multiparous women. However, there is no individualized data on differences in duration of labour for consecutive deliveries in the same parturient. Methods We conducted a retrospective data analysis from 2004–2021 at the University Hospital of Zurich and included all women with 2 or more vaginal deliveries of a singleton child in cephalic position, between 22 and 42 weeks of gestation. Descriptive statistics were performed with SPSS version 25.0 (IBM, SPSS Inc., USA). The primary endpoint was the ratio between duration of labour stages in consecutive deliveries of the same parturient. Results A total of 3344 women with 7242 births (2601 first [P0], 2987 second [P1] and 1176 third [P2]) were included. The active first stage of labour was 51% shorter (95% CI 0.47–0.51, p < 0.001) and the second stage of labour was 74% shorter (95% CI 0.24–0.27, p < 0.001) in P1 compared to P0. Higher birthweight of the first child led to an even greater decrease in duration of the second stage of labour in P1 compared to P0 (p = 0.003). Neuraxial anaesthesia was an independent risk factor for a longer duration of labour, irrespective of parity (p < 0.001). Birthweight and HC of the neonates did not significantly differ between the children born by the same women. However, higher birthweight in of the first child significantly augmented the rate of second stage of labour between P0 and P1 (p = 0.003). Discussion Up to the third delivery, duration of labour decreased with each consecutive delivery of the same parturient. An individualized assessment of the expected duration of labour in multiparous women should be encouraged.