Vanishing forceps delivery

This study evaluates the effect of decreasing cesarean rates and increasing regional anesthesia use on the frequency of forceps deliveries. Data of wo men who delivered at our community hospital from 1990 through 1997 are revi ewed. In 1994, the members of our department adopted several strategies to decrease cesarean deliveries. The cesarean rate decreased whereas regional analgesia use increased. We studied the frequency and type of vaginal opera tive deliveries during this 8 year period. These data were evaluated by chi (2) analysis. Data of women who delivered in the first 4 years (group 1) we re compared with data of those who delivered in the second 4 years (group 2 ). A p < 0.05 was considered significant. The demographic and clinical char acteristics of these women remained unchanged during the study period. The total cesarean rate decreased from 23.2% in group 1 to 17.9% in group 2 (p < 0.0001). The proportion of women who received regional anesthesia increas ed from 18.8 in group 1 to 25.7 in group 2 (p < 0.0001). Vaginal operative deliveries increased from 3.6 to 5.5 (p < 0.0001), whereas the proportion o f forceps deliveries decreased from 2.2 to 1.5 (p = 0.001). Perinatal morbi dity and mortality did not change. The decrease in cesarean rate and increa se in regional anesthesia use were associated with an increase in operative deliveries; however, forceps deliveries continue to decrease in our commun ity hospital.