Conservative management of post-date pregnancy

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to evaluate the management of postdate pregnancy. Ninety-nine patients with a firmly established gestational age of more than 294 days were admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assiut University. They had no other complications. They compromised two groups, Group I consisted of 49 patients who were actively managed due to the presence of an abnormal finding suggesting fetal compromise. Group II consisted of 50 patients who were managed conservatively without intervention until the spontaneous onset of labor. The mean age, parity and gestational age were significantly higher in group II. The mean duration of the second stage of labor was longer in group I. Spontaneous vaginal delivery was more in group II, while ventouse extraction was more in group I. The mean birth weight was higher in group I. The mean Apgar score was significantly higher in group II. Meconium aspiration was present in eight babies of group I and in none of group II. Nineteen babies in group I needed admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, while only five in group II needed so. The incidence of CS was significantly higher among patients more than 30 years. Postdating was more in younger age group. The incidence of vaginal delivery was significantly higher in younger age group while that of CS showed the reverse