The effect of maternal position in active phase on duration of labor and newborn,s Apgar score

It seems that mother,s position and activity during labor can affect labor process and it,s outcomes. This investigation aimed to investigate maternal position,s effect in active phase on labor duration and newborn,s Apgar. This is a quasi experimental study which is done on 256 mothers referring to Taleghani hospital in Arak city. Sampling was convenience and sample size was determined based on α =5% and β =20%. Mothers were divided into two primi and multipara groups and each mother chose one of the lying on left side, semi ambulatory and ambulatory positions based on her own intent. The duration of first, second and third stages of labor and also the newborn,s Apgar score in first and fifth minutes after birth was determined in each group. Data was analyzed using Shefe test. Results showed that more than half of mothers (55.5%) preferred semi ambulatory position. 98.8% of deliveries were normal vaginal delivery and most of newborn,s Apgar score in first and fifth minutes after birth was 9 and 10 respectively. There was no significant difference between labor complications and maternal position and also between Apgar score and maternal position. It was found that the duration of first, second and third stages of labor in primiparas of ambulatory group were shorter than the other two primipara groups. But the difference was only significant in first stage(p<0.001). In multiparas of the ambulatory group the duration of first and second stages were significantly shorter than the other two multipara groups(p<0.001). Overall findings showed that the duration of first stage of labor in ambulatory primiparas and first and second stages of multiparas were significantly reduced so it seems that ambulation of mother during labor can improve labor process.