A randomized trial of amniotomy in active labor

Abstract

The role of amniotomy in active labor is controversial because of contradictory data and a paucity of randomized studies. A randomized trial was conducted on the role of amniotomy in spontaneous labor. Fifty-three women who were admitted to the Family Medicine Service in active labor were randomly assigned to receive amniotomy (n = 26) or no amniotomy (n = 27). Amniotomy shortened the time from randomization to delivery by 143 minutes (t = 2.3, P less than .05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 19-265). After adjusting for possible confounders, the effect of amniotomy was to shorten labor by 155 minutes (CI = 9-301). The effect of amniotomy on labor was not found to be related to parity or cervical dilatation. Amniotomy had no apparent effect on Apgar scores or use of analgesia.