Repeated hands-and-knees positioning during labour: a randomized pilot study

Effects of flexible sacrum position at birth on maternal and neonatal outcomes: A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the differences in both maternal and neonatal outcomes between flexible and non-flexible sacrum positions at birth.

METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study was carried out on a sample of low-risk pregnant women. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions and multivariate linear regressions were conducted to estimate the association between our discrete or continuous variables of interest. Maternal outcomes were perineal tear, maternal blood loss, second stage length; neonatal outcomes were Apgar scores and neonatal asphyxia. Results were adjusted for maternal age, neonatal birth weight, and epidural analgesia.

RESULTS

We considered for final analysis 2198 women. In primiparous women, women giving birth in the all-fours position were significantly more likely to have an intact perineum (P = 0.011) and a shorter length of the second stage of labor (P = 0.022). Maternal age (P = 0.005) and neonatal weight (P = 0.013) significantly increased perineal tearing; maternal age (P = 0.004) and neonatal birth weight (P < 0.001) were significantly associated with a higher amount of blood loss. Maternal age (P = 0.002) and neonatal weight (P < 0.001) significantly increased the length of the second stage of labor. For multiparous women, the side-lying position was significantly correlated with an intact perineum (P = 0.031); maternal age and intact perineum were statistically inversely associated. Epidural analgesia significantly increased the length of the second stage of labor in both nulliparous (P < 0.001) and pluriparous women (P < 0.001). No significant differences were found in neonatal outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Women with a low-risk labor should be free to choose their birth position as flexible sacrum positions are shown to increase maternal well-being and do not affect neonatal health.

Maternal postures for fetal malposition in labour for improving the health of mothers and their infants

BACKGROUND

Fetal malposition (occipito-posterior and persistent occipito-transverse) in labour is associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Whether use of maternal postures can improve these outcomes is unclear. This Cochrane Review of maternal posture in labour is one of two new reviews replacing a 2007 review of maternal postures in pregnancy and labour.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of specified maternal postures for women with fetal malposition in labour on maternal and infant morbidity compared to other postures.  SEARCH METHODS: We searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth's Trials Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (13 July 2021), and reference lists of retrieved studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or cluster-RCTs conducted among labouring women with a fetal malposition confirmed by ultrasound or clinical examination, comparing a specified maternal posture with another posture. Quasi-RCTs and cross-over trials were not eligible for inclusion.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion, risk of bias, and performed data extraction. We used mean difference (MD) for continuous variables, and risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous variables, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach.

MAIN RESULTS

We included eight eligible studies with 1766 women.  All studies reported some form of random sequence generation but were at high risk of performance bias due to lack of blinding. There was a high risk of selection bias in one study, detection bias in two studies, attrition bias in two studies, and reporting bias in two studies. Hands and knees The use of hands and knees posture may have little to no effect on operative birth (average RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.50; 3 trials, 721 women; low-certainty evidence) and caesarean section (RR 1.34, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.87; 3 trials, 721 women; low-certainty evidence) but the evidence is uncertain; and very uncertain for epidural use (average RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.31; 2 trials, 282 women; very low-certainty evidence), instrumental vaginal birth (average RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.90; 3 trials, 721 women; very low-certainty evidence), severe perineal tears (average RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.03 to 22.30; 2 trials, 586 women; very low-certainty evidence), maternal satisfaction (average RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.54; 3 trials, 350 women; very low-certainty evidence), and Apgar scores less than seven at five minutes (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.21 to 2.34; 2 trials, 586 babies; very low-certainty evidence).  No data were reported for the hands and knees comparisons for postpartum haemorrhage, serious neonatal morbidity, death (stillbirth or death of liveborn infant), admission to neonatal intensive care, neonatal encephalopathy, need for respiratory support, and neonatal jaundice requiring phototherapy.  Lateral postures The use of lateral postures may have little to no effect on reducing operative birth (average RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.19; 4 trials, 871 women; low-certainty evidence), caesarean section (average RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.44 to 1.39; 4 trials, 871 women; low-certainty evidence), instrumental vaginal birth (average RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.36; 4 trials, 871 women; low-certainty evidence), and maternal satisfaction (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.09; 2 trials, 451 women; low-certainty evidence), but the evidence is uncertain. The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of lateral postures on severe perineal tears (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.17 to 2.48; 3 trials, 609 women; very low-certainty evidence), postpartum haemorrhage (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.70; 1 trial, 322 women; very low-certainty evidence), serious neonatal morbidity (RR 1.41, 95% CI 0.64 to 3.12; 3 trials, 752 babies; very low-certainty evidence), Apgar scores less than seven at five minutes (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.03 to 2.24; 1 trial, 322 babies; very low-certainty evidence), admissions to neonatal intensive care (RR 1.41, 95% CI 0.64 to 3.12; 2 trials, 542 babies; very low-certainty evidence) and neonatal death (stillbirth or death of liveborn) (1 trial, 210 women and their babies; no events).  For the lateral posture comparisons, no data were reported for epidural use, neonatal encephalopathy, need for respiratory support, and neonatal jaundice requiring phototherapy. We were not able to estimate the outcome death (stillbirth or death of liveborn infant) due to no events (1 trial, 210 participants).  AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found low- and very low-certainty evidence which indicated that the use of hands and knees posture or lateral postures in women in labour with a fetal malposition may have little or no effect on health outcomes of the mother or her infant. If a woman finds the use of hands and knees or lateral postures in labour comfortable there is no reason why they should not choose to use them. Further research is needed on the use of hands and knees and lateral postures for women with a malposition in labour. Trials should include further assessment of semi-prone postures, same-side-as-fetus lateral postures with or without hip hyperflexion, or both, and consider interventions of longer duration or that involve the early second stage of labour.

Maternal positioning with flexed thighs to correct foetal occipito-posterior position in labour: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Foetal occipto-posterior position during labour can contribute to negative outcomes. Encouraging women to adopt positions utilising thigh flexion with the aim of increasing pelvic diameters and promoting foetal rotation to the occpito-anterior position are often used. However, the efficacy of these strategies has not yet been determined.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of maternal hands and knees or lateral positions with flexed thighs versus control in rotating foetal occipito-posterior to occipito-anterior in the first stage of labour.

METHODS

The databases such as MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Embase were searched with dates ranging from 1947 to 2019. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared maternal hands and knees, and lateral positions incorporating flexed thighs (spine-femur angle of ≥ 90°) versus control to rotate foetal malposition in the first stage of labour and published in English. Methodological quality was assessed based on Cochrane's Risk of Bias 2 for randomized controlled trials. Two teams of researchers completed the study selection, quality assessment, data extraction and meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Seven RCTs met our inclusion criteria (n = 1422). Whilst there was an increase in the rate of spontaneous foetal rotation from the occipito-posterior to the anterior position, particularly in the first hour after the intervention was adopted, this did not reach statistical significance (RR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.96-1.39, p = 0.13). The effect was insufficient to influence rates of spontaneous vaginal birth (RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.85-1.26, p = 0.72) whilst there was a reduction in the duration of first stage labour (Mean-difference, -27.34; 95% CI, -45.96, -8.72, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

This systematic review reports no significant correlation between maternal positioning with flexed thighs and foetal rotation from occipito-posterior to occipito-anterior position during first stage labour. The specific maternal positions tested did not impact on the majority of other labour and birth outcomes. Given that the majority of fetuses will rotate spontaneously to an occipito-anterior position it may be that maternal posturing facilitates earlier rotation in this group but has no effect on the subset of infants that would otherwise persist in the occipito-posterior position to birth.

Maternal positioning to correct occiput posterior fetal position during the first stage of labour: a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of the hands and knees position during the first stage of labour to facilitate the rotation of the fetal head to the occiput anterior position.

DESIGN

Randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland.

POPULATION

A total of 439 women with a fetus in the occiput posterior position during the first stage of labour.

METHODS

The women in the intervention group were invited to take a hands and knees position for at least for 10 minutes. Women allocated to the control group received the usual care. For both groups, 15 minutes after randomisation, women completed a short questionnaire to report their perceived pain and the comfort of their position.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The rotation of the fetal head in occiput anterior position confirmed by ultrasonography 1 hour after randomisation.

RESULTS

One hour after the randomisation, 35 of 203 (17%) fetuses were diagnosed as being in the occiput anterior position in the intervention group compared with 24 of 209 (12%) in the control group. This difference was not statistically significant (relative risk 1.50; 95% CI 0.93-2.43; P = 0.13). The change in the evaluation of comfort between the randomisation and 15 minutes after showed an improvement in 70 and 39 women, no change in 82 and 78 women and a decrease in 56 and 86 women in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

This study could not demonstrate a benefit of the hands and knees position to correct the occiput posterior position of the fetus during the first stage of labour, but the women reported an increase in their comfort level.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Hands and knees position does not facilitate rotation into occiput anterior but increases the comfort level of women.