Put A Stop To Fundal Pressure During Second Stage Of Labor: A Systemic Review

Abstract

Fundal pressure has been used to bring down the timing of the second stage of labour without any evidence of benefit. Instead, it has shown complications in maternal and fetal outcomes. The aim of the article is to find out the deleterious effects of fundal pressure during the second stage of labour in mothers and new borns.

Method: The needed information was collected by searching in internet (via PubMed, Science Direct, and Cochrane pregnancy and childbirth trail), and the majority of the information was taken from PubMed journals.

Findings: After reviewing the literature we concluded that there was no prompt proof for use of uterine fundal pressure and the method showed deleterious effects on the mother and new-borns such as perineal lacerations, uterine rupture, uterine inversion, retained placenta, postpartum haemorrhage, clavicle fracture of a new born, nerve palsies, and perinatal mortality.

Conclusion: This method should be stopped or discouraged in the labour room and clinics. The use of a partograph would be an effective tool for knowing the progress of labour in second stage of labour in high as well as low-resource settings. For midwives, recording and maintaining partograph should be used as a habit in their work routine.