‘Not in established labour’: Outcomes for women cared for in an Irish antenatal ward

Abstract

Key points Women who self-refer to a maternity hospital due to labour-like symptoms find it stressful and confusing to be told they are 'not in established labour'  The outcome of care for women admitted to the antenatal ward of a large Dublin maternity hospital at term, with labour-related symptoms but not in established labour, was unknown  A retrospective study was conducted on the charts of 47 of women admitted to the hospital to examine outcomes for these women who experienced midwifery care while awaiting the onset of active labour  Seventy-two per cent of women were transferred to delivery suite in active labour, and 28% required augmentation of labour; only one woman had a caesarean section birth  Twenty-three women (49%) had at least one injection of Pethidine in the antenatal ward  Women admitted to the antenatal ward to await establishment of labour need quality time from the midwife, and needs-based care, to make each woman's birthing experience a positive and memorable one AbstractAn audit was conducted in the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland in November 2012 with 47 women in early labour, through retrospective review of charts. The aim was to ascertain the outcomes of labour and describe the interventions performed by midwives for women admitted to the antenatal ward at term gestation with labour-related symptoms. The most common reason for transfer of women to labour ward was establishment of labour (72.34%) and, of these women, only a few (35.29%) needed augmentation of labour. Among the women transferred in active labour, 97.05% had vaginal births with an average duration of labour of 4.1 hours (with no augmentation) and 5.3 hours (with augmentation). All women transferred for augmentation of labour (27.66%) had vaginal births. Women admitted to the antenatal ward to await establishment of labour need quality midwifery care to make their birthing experience a positive and memorable one.

Factors influencing decision-making for caesarean section in Sweden – a qualitative study

“…Avoiding induction of labour was viewed as a key element in reducing CS rates. Caring for women in the latent phase of labour outside the labour ward area was seen as essential, findings similar to those of a recent Irish study [ 30 ].…”