Biomaterial Database

Maternal upright posture and mobility in labor--a review. 1986

P J Lupe, and T L Gross

There has been a relatively recent interest in alternative birthing techniques, including increased maternal mobility during labor. This literature review was pursued to evaluate the effect of upright maternal posture and ambulation on the first stage of labor. Although previous reviews frequently assume that maternal ambulation speeds labor progress, the data presented in this review are not conclusive as to whether the upright maternal posture or ambulation during the first stage of labor shortens labor length or improves fetal outcome. However, it is clear that ambulation in labor is not harmful either to the mother or fetus. In addition, many investigators have reported that mobility in labor results in greater maternal comfort and ability to tolerate labor and decreased use of anesthesia and analgesia. Thus, acceptance of mobility in labor by patients and staff is generally reported. This information can serve as a guide to clinical management. However, there is a need for further analysis of the effect of maternal ambulation during labor, and specific suggestions for research are presented.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007743	Labor, Obstetric	The repetitive uterine contraction during childbirth which is associated with the progressive dilation of the uterine cervix (CERVIX UTERI). Successful labor results in the expulsion of the FETUS and PLACENTA. Obstetric labor can be spontaneous or induced (LABOR, INDUCED).	Obstetric Labor
D007747	Labor Stage, First	Period from the onset of true OBSTETRIC LABOR to the complete dilatation of the CERVIX UTERI.	Labor, First Stage,Cervical Dilatation,Cervical Dilatations,Dilatation, Cervical,Dilatations, Cervical,First Labor Stage,First Stage Labor
D008124	Locomotion	Movement or the ability to move from one place or another. It can refer to humans, vertebrate or invertebrate animals, and microorganisms.	Locomotor Activity,Activities, Locomotor,Activity, Locomotor,Locomotor Activities
D009774	Obstetrics	A medical-surgical specialty concerned with management and care of women during pregnancy, parturition, and the puerperium.
D010298	Parity	The number of offspring a female has borne. It is contrasted with GRAVIDITY, which refers to the number of pregnancies, regardless of outcome.	Multiparity,Nulliparity,Primiparity,Parity Progression Ratio,Parity Progression Ratios,Ratio, Parity Progression,Ratios, Parity Progression
D010500	Perinatology	The branch of medicine dealing with the FETUS and NEWBORN during the perinatal period. The perinatal period begins with the twenty-eighth week of gestation and ends twenty-eight days after birth.	Fetal Medicine,Maternal-Fetal Medicine,Materno-Fetal Medicine,Fetal Medicines,Maternal Fetal Medicine,Maternal-Fetal Medicines,Materno Fetal Medicine,Materno-Fetal Medicines,Medicine, Fetal,Medicine, Maternal-Fetal,Medicine, Materno-Fetal
D011187	Posture	The position or physical attitude of the body.	Postures
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011897	Random Allocation	A process involving chance used in therapeutic trials or other research endeavor for allocating experimental subjects, human or animal, between treatment and control groups, or among treatment groups. It may also apply to experiments on inanimate objects.	Randomization,Allocation, Random
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic