What is it about?
Introduction of an alternative preparation of prostaglandin to induce labour in the local unit. Comparable vaginal birth rates and neonatal outcomes but with a significant overall reduction in the use of intravenous oxytocin.
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Why is it important?
By not using oxytocin to augment the labour, the women could remain more mobile and did not require continuous electronic fetal monitoring. By not using oxytocin, the risks of hyperstimulation and fetal distress pertaining to using this artificial hormone are removed.
Perspectives
By being able to reduce oxytocin use in a unit, reduces the use of continuous fetal monitoring and unneccessary interventions. Facilitating free movement and upright positions for the labouring women has been demonstrated to result in greater satisfaction with the birthing experience and more spontaneous vaginal births. Anything that safely increases vaginal births and maternal satisfaction, can only be veiwed positively.
Mrs Roisin A Lennon
Sligo University Hospital, Ireland
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Propess versus Prostin: There is an alternative way to induce labour, British Journal of Midwifery, April 2017, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/bjom.2017.25.4.246.
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