The effect of parity on uterine activity in labour

  1. S. ARULKUMARAN Lecturer 1,
  2. D. M. F. GIBB Lecturer 1,*,
  3. K. C. LUN Senior Lecturer 2,
  4. S. H. HENG Biostatistician 3,
  5. S. S. RATNAM Professor and Head of Department 3

Article first published online: 23 AUG 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1984.tb03694.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 91, Issue 9, pages 843–848, September 1984

Additional Information

How to Cite

ARULKUMARAN, S., GIBB, D. M. F., LUN, K. C., HENG, S. H. and RATNAM, S. S. (1984), The effect of parity on uterine activity in labour. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 91: 843–848. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1984.tb03694.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kandang Kerbau Hospital

  2. 2

    Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine

  3. 3

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kadang Kerbau Hospital, National University of Singapore

* D.M. F. Gibb, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RX.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 AUG 2005
  2. Article first published online: 23 AUG 2005
  3. Received 27 September 1983 Accepted 5 February 1984

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Summary. Uterine activity was studied in 40 multiparous Singapore women of Chinese origin who were in normal labour and had a normal delivery. A catheter tip pressure transducer coupled with a uterine activity integrator was used to quantify uterine activity. Normal labour progress was defined as labour progressing within 2 h to the right of a line drawn on the partogram at 1 cm/h in the active phase of labour. A wide range of activity was observed. The median level of uterine activity rose from 815 kPas/15 min at 3 cm dilatation to 1731 kPas/15 min at 9 cm dilatation with an overall median level of 1130 kPas/15 min. The 10th centile value rose from 430 kPas/15 min at 3 cm dilatation to 923 kPas/15 min at 9 cm dilatation. Profiles of dilatation-specific activity values were constructed. These values were significantly lower than in a comparative group of nulliparous patients. The parous uterus requires to expend significantly less effort to effect normal vaginal delivery than its nulliparous counterpart.

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