A Comparative Analysis of Duration of Third Stage of Labor with or without Placental Cord Drainage in Females Undergoing Term Delivery
Keywords:
Labor, Labor Duration, Maternal Morbidity, Obstetric Practice, Placental Cord Drainage, Third Stage of Labor.Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the duration of the third stage of labor between two groups of females undergoing term delivery: those undergoing placental cord drainage and those not undergoing this procedure.
Study Design: Comparative interventional Study.
Place and Duration of Study: Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, Imran Idrees Teaching Hospital, Sialkot for six months duration from 19-01-24 to 24-07-24.
Materials and Methods: A comparative study (ref: 2023/IITH/RA/006) at Imran Idrees Teaching Hospital, Sialkot involving 186 women (aged 18-40, parity <5, term pregnancies) selected via non-probability consecutive sampling. Randomly divided into two groups (n=93 each), Group A received placental cord drainage and active third-stage labor management, while Group B had immediate cord clamping. Demographic data and labor
duration were recorded throughout the study period. SPSS 23 analyzed data, utilizing independent t-tests (p ≤0.05). Stratification by gestational age, BMI, and parity was performed. Results provide insights into the efficacy of drainage of the placental cord in managing labor.
Results: Average time of the third stage of labor was notably reduced in Group-A (5.25 ± 0.80 minutes) compared to Group-B (7.94 ± 1.03 minutes) having p-value of 0.0001. This significant reduction was consistent across all stratifications by age, gestational age, parity, and BMI, indicating that draining placental cord effectively reduces the length of the third(last) stage of labor.
Conclusion: Effectively draining placental cord, shortens the last stage of labor in term SVD(spontaneous vaginal deliveries), potentially reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. This straightforward intervention should be considered for routine obstetric practice to enhance maternal outcomes and improve the overall quality of care. Further research on its long-term effects is recommended.
