Maternal oxygen administration for fetal distress

Maternal oxygen administration has been used in an attempt to lessen fetal distress by increasing the available oxygen from the mother.

The objective of this review was to assess the effects of maternal oxygenation for fetal distress during labour and to assess the effects of prophylactic oxygen therapy during the second stage of labour on perinatal outcome.

The Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched. Date of last search: December 1997.

Randomised trials comparing maternal oxygen therapy for fetal distress during labour and prophylactic oxygen therapy during the second stage of labour with a control group (dummy or no oxygen therapy).

Eligibility and trial quality were assessed by the reviewer.

No trials addressing maternal oxygen therapy for fetal distress could be located. One trial of 85 women which addressed prophylactic oxygen therapy during labour was included. Cord blood pH values of less than 7.2 were more frequently recorded in the oxygenation group than the control group (relative risk 4.83, 95% confidence interval 1.11 to 21.04). There were no other statistically significant differences between the groups. Within the oxygenation group, those receiving oxygenation for less than 10 minutes had higher umbilical artery pH values than those receiving oxygen for longer than 10 minutes.

There is not enough evidence to support the use of prophylactic oxygen therapy for women in labour, nor to evaluate its effectiveness for fetal distress.