RESUMEN
Labour and birth are a natural process, they usually progress normally with no problems for mother and baby. Palm date or phoenix dactyl feral [tamr] is the most important source of energy. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of palm date [tamr] intake during the prelabour [two weeks] period on labour outcome among high risky women. This study included two groups: First group [experimental group 60] primigravida women who received antenatal and natal care and were eating for two weeks extra meal palm dates. Second group: [control group 70] primigravida women who received only a routine antenatal and natal care. Three tools were used for collecting data [sheet of general characteristics, Bishop score and partogram chart], which started from January to June 2005 [6 months], women constituted. Finding showed that the means of Bishop Scores of the study sample [experimental and control groups] at tune of their admission for labour were 10.5 +/- 1.1 and 7.2 +/- 1.1 respectively [t = 3.9] with significant difference P<0.05 between the two groups. The means and the S.D of the rate of cervical dilatation during active phase of labour in cm/hours among two groups [experimental and control] were 1.3 +/- 0.3 and 1 +/- 0.1 [t= 3.7]. Mean duration of labour of the two groups [experimental and control] were 5.1 +/- 0.9 and 6.5 +/- 1 respectively [t= 4.1]. The largest percent of the experimental group delivered spontaneous [88.3%] compared to [58.6%] in the control group. One minute Apgar score was >7 for most of the studied women's babies in both groups [90% and 86%]. Results revealed that [51.4%] of the control group need oxytocin augmentation compared to only [8.3%] in the experimental. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups [experimental and control] to the effect of taking palm date [tamr] during the prelabour [two weeks] period on labour outcome of the experimental group, mode and duration of delivery as well as the Apgar score of the newborn. The study recommended that materials as booklets should be available and provided to pregnant women about the importance of palm date intake during a prelabour period. A national program about health nutrition for pregnant women to facilitate labour activity should be provided