Comparative feasibility of two World Health Organization partographs to predict prolonged labour: a randomized control trial

ABSTRACT

Background:One of the major causes of maternal mortality is obstructed labor. Identificationof abnormal labor at earliest and timely management can prevent prolonged labor and significantly reduce its sequel. Partograph is a useful tool in hands of labor caregiversto monitor labor course.The study was done to compare feasibility of two WHO partographs a composite partograph including the latent phase with a simplified one without the latent phase to predict prolonged laborin randomized control trial.Methods:A randomized controlled trial, with parallel arm design was conducted. Sample size was calculated as 404 pregnant women .They were randomly categorized in two groups,each group having 202 participants.Results:labor had crossed the alert line in 108 (53.4%) cases monitored by composite partograph and 38(18.8%) cases monitored with simplified partograph. The calculated P value was <0.0001. The odds ratio calculate was 4.95 and 95% confidence interval was 3.16 to 7.76. Labor crossing the action line was found in 16 (7.9%) in composite partograph whereas in simplified partograph, labor had crossed the action line in 18 casesin simplified group. Calculated P value was 0.72 (>0.05). The odds ratio was 0.8793and 95% confidence interval 0.43 to 1.77 which was not significant statistically .Most participants (70%) experienced difficulty with the composite partograph, but no participant reported difficulty while plotting the simplified partograph. Conclusions: WHO simplified partograph was found to be as good as WHO composite partograph in identifying maternal and perinatal outcomes and was more user friendly.