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Amniotic fluid volume in spurious labour
A Biswas1, S C Chew, C Anandakumar
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Hospital, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Objective:
A prospective study was undertaken to assess the amniotic fluid index (AFI) in women with spurious labour and its possible role in management.
Methods:
Eight hundred and ninety-three women in early labour, who had uncomplicated pregnancy, were recruited for the study. Of these, 133 were later diagnosed to have had spurious labour, while 760 were in true labour. An admission cardiotocography and determination of AFI was done for all patients at the time of their admission to the labour ward. Labour was induced within 24 hours for those women in spurious labour who had severe oligohydramnios.
Results:
The incidence of severe oligohydramnios (AFI < 5) was significantly higher in the patients later diagnosed to have had spurious labour (15.7%) compared with those in true labour (2.1%). With this management protocol, the obstetric and the neonatal outcome was similar in the spurious labour and the true labour groups.
Conclusion:
The assessment of AFI could be a simple and useful screening tool to avoid adverse perinatal outcome in women who experience spurious labour.