ARRIVAL IN THE LABOR WARD IN 2ND-STAGE OF LABOR ANY PROGNOSTIC-SIGNIFICANCE

A comparative descriptive study was carried out to determine whether, in uncomplicated term pregnancies with the foetus in vertex presentati on, there were any differences in maternal or foetal outcome between w omen who arrived in the labour ward in second stage of labour and thos e who arrived in early active phase. There were two hundred and sevent een women each in the study and comparison groups. There were no signi ficant differences between the two groups as regards age, parity, mari tal status and level of education. Women in the comparison group were better antenatal clinic attendants. Those in the study group were more likely to have indicated that they had problems with transportation, They also had considerably shorter labours and all achieved spontaneou s vaginal deliveries; a significant proportion (10.6 %) of the compari son group had interventional deliveries. The incidence of episiotomies , lower genital tract injuries, manual removal of placenta and postpar tum haemorrhage after vaginal delivery were not different between the two groups. Babies born to mothers in the study group were significant ly lighter, by about 170gms, and had a lower incidence of low one-minu te Apgar scores. There were no significant differences in the rates of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit or in early neonatal de aths. Arrival in the labour ward in second stage of labour prognostica tes non-interventional delivery without any increased risk of adverse outcome to the mother or her baby.