Effect of presentation of partogram information on obstetric decision-making

The way in which medical information is presented may affect doctors' decision-making. We have assessed whether changing the appearance of the same information on the partogram affects clinical decisions during labour. Sixteen junior obstetricians were asked about how they would manage six hypothetical cases of difficult labour. Information was given by partogram, in which we varied either the relative scales of the x and y axes or whether the latent phase of labour had been included. Doctors were more likely to intervene and to intervene more actively if the progress of labour curve appeared flat and if the latent phase was included. The shape and point of origin of the partogram probably influence intervention rates in practice and may partly explain the low rates of caesarean section in some hospitals.