Our main aim was to investigate clinical consequences when using two different guidelines for assessing labour progression in order to reduce the caesarean section rate without jeopardizing the mother's or child's health.
In a cluster randomized trial in Norway, the WHO partograph and Zhang’s guideline for assessing labour progress was compared. Fourteen hospitals and 7277 women was included.
The main outcome; intrapartum caesarean section was reduced by 26.7 percent and 37.8 percent in the Zhang group and the WHO group respectively.
The rate did not differ between the groups. Self-reported childbirth experience did not differ between groups either.
Participants
Partners
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE)
- Østfold Hospital Trust
- Bærum Hospital
- Drammen Hospital
- Elverum Hospital
- Lillehammer Hospital
- St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital
- University Hospital of North Norway
- The Nordland Hospital Trust
- Stavanger University Hospital
