Prolonged pregnancy: two years experience of offering women conservative management

A prospective study of 199 patients over a two year period, 1 Jun 90 to 31 May 92 at the Louise Margaret Maternity Wing, Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot was undertaken to audit the uptake of an offer of conservative management of prolonged pregnancy to women at 42 weeks gestation. The labour outcomes of patients opting for conservative or induction management plans were recorded and the increased workload introduced to the Ultrasound Unit measured. Of the 91/199 (45.7%) patients who chose to be managed conservatively, 20 (22.0%) developed an abnormal result of a test of fetal surveillance, 16 (17.6%) were electively delivered because of an abnormal result. There were no significant differences in labour performance or neonatal outcome between those women opting for conservative management or induction of labour. 201 new ultrasound scans were booked, 129 were performed (0.4 scans/week/1000 deliveries).