Guideline

WHO recommendations for augmentation of labour

Year of Publication

2014

Issuing Institution

World Health Organization

Links

WHO IRIS

Recommendations

20 included recommendations

Active phase partograph with a four-hour action line is recommended for monitoring the progress of labour

Status

Retired

Recommended in favor

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Very low

Digital vaginal examination at intervals of four hours is recommended for routine assessment and identification of delay in active labour.

Status

New

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

A package of care for active management of labour for prevention of delay in labour is not recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Low

The use of early amniotomy with early oxytocin augmentation for prevention of delay in labour is not recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The use of oxytocin for prevention of delay in labour in women receiving epidural analgesia is not recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Low

The use of amniotomy alone for prevention of delay in labour is not recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The use of antispasmodic agents for prevention of delay in labour is not recommended.

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

Pain relief for preventing delay and reducing the use of augmentation in labour is not recommended.

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The use of intravenous fluids with the aim of shortening the duration of labour is not recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Very low

For women at low risk, oral fluid and food intake during labour is recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

Encouraging the adoption of mobility and upright position during labour in women at low risk is recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended in favor

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Very low

Continuous companionship during labour is recommended for improving labour outcomes

Status

New

Recommended in favor

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Moderate

Administration of enema for reducing the use of labour augmentation is not recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The use of oxytocin alone for treatment of delay in labour is recommended

Status

New

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

Augmentation with intravenous oxytocin prior to confirmation of delay in labour is not recommended

Status

New

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

High starting and increment dosage regimen of oxytocin is not recommended for labour augmentation

Status

New

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The use of oral misoprostol for labour augmentation is not recommended

Status

New

Recommended against

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The use of amniotomy alone for treatment of delay in labour is not recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The use of amniotomy and oxytocin for treatment of confirmed delay in labour is recommended

Status

Maintained

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The use of internal tocodynamometry, compared with external tocodynamometry, with the aim of improving outcomes for augmented labour is not recommended

Status

New

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low