Abstract

VENTURA, Walter  and  LAM-FIGUEROA, Nelly. Is routine amniotomy during spontaneous labor useful?: Review of the literature. An. Fac. med. [online]. 2008, vol.69, n.2, pp.127-129. ISSN 1025-5583.

Systematic amniotomy in pregnant women with spontaneous labor is largely practiced in Peruvian and world hospitals with documented prevalence up to 77%. Little is known on benefits and harms resulting to both fetus and mother. We searched the medical literature in order to find solid evidence to support or reject this practice. We conclude that systematic amniotomy alters the physiological evolution of labor shortening it about 50 minutes average. However, this has no clinical significance on both fetus and mother. Conversely, routine practice may increase incidence of dysfunctional labor and five minutes less than seven Apgar score.

Keywords : Amniotomy; dystocia; labor, obstetric.

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