Published online Dec 26, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i36.11330
Peer-review started: August 18, 2021
First decision: September 29, 2021
Revised: October 14, 2021
Accepted: November 18, 2021
Article in press: November 18, 2021
Published online: December 26, 2021
Processing time: 127 Days and 2.3 Hours
Term pregnancy-induced labor refers to the use of artificial methods to induce uterine contractions and terminate pregnancy after 37 wk. It is a common method to prevent overdue pregnancy and to deal with high-risk pregnancies. In addition, it can alleviate maternal complications and cause the fetus to leave the adverse intrauterine environment early, which is beneficial to the outcome of pregnancy.
To explore the effect of a birthing ball on labor by inducing cervical ripening and its influence on labor and the neonatal blood gas index.
Twenty-two women who were scheduled to undergo labor induction and delivery in the obstetrics department of our hospital were randomly divided into two groups: the delivery ball group (childbirth ball combined with COOK balloon induction) and the conventional group (COOK balloon induction alone). The cervical Bishop score before and after intervention, duration of labor at each stage, mode of delivery, neonatal umbilical venous blood pH, oxygen partial pressure (PO2), carbon dioxide partial pressure (PCO2), and the 1-min Apgar score were recorded.
After the intervention, the cervical Bishop score of the delivery ball group (7.84 ± 1.52) was significantly higher than that of the conventional group (7.32 ± 1.29) (P < 0.05), and the cervical Bishop scores of the two groups after intervention were significantly higher than those before intervention (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the first stage of labor (510.9 ± 98.7 min), the second stage of labor (43.0 ± 8.5 min), and the total duration of labor (560.0 ± 120.9 min) in the delivery ball group were lower than those in the routine group, with a first stage of labor of 602.1 ± 133.2 min, a second stage of labor of 48.4 ± 9.1 min, and a total duration of labor of 656.8 ± 148.5 min (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the time of the third stage of labor between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the pH, PO2, and PCO2 values of newborns between the delivery ball group and the conventional group (P > 0.05). The 1-min Apgar score of the delivery ball group was higher than that of the conventional group (9.10 ± 0.38 points vs 8.94 ± 0.31 points, P < 0.05). The natural delivery rate of the delivery ball group was higher than that of the conventional group (91.00% vs 78.00%, P < 0.05).
The use of a birthing ball combined with a COOK balloon for inducing labor has a better effect on promoting cervical ripening, shortening the time of labor, and improving the Apgar score of newborns.
Core Tip: Through a group of prospective studies that divided 22 parturient into delivery ball group (delivery ball combined with COOK balloon induction) and routine group (induction with COOK balloon alone), it was confirmed that the use of midwifery ball combined with COOK balloon to induce labor promotes the cervix mature, shorten the delivery time, and improve the Apgar score of newborns have a good effect.