Effectiveness of Phloroglucinol in Shortening the Active Phase of the First Stage of Labour in Term Pregnancies

Abstract

Background: Labour is a normal physiological process, involving increasing myometrical contractions, cervical dilation and effacement resulting in delivery of the fetus and placenta and the initiation of the process of lactation. First Stage of labour lasts for 12-16hrs in primigravida and 6-8 hrs in multigravida. Two important characteristics of labour are uterine contractions and cervical effacementObjectives: To determine the effectiveness of phloroglucinol in shortening the 1st stage of labour in term pregnancies.Material and Methods: It was a double blinded randomized control trial (RCT) conducted in Obs and Gynae department of Hayatabad Medical Complex, MTI, Peshawar Pakistan, over a period of 6 months from 20th October 2022 to 20th April 2023. Patients were selected randomly for placebo and pluroghlucinol group and recorded on structured proforma. Total 375 women were selected in first stage of labour. In which 187 were given Phloroglucinol and 188 women received placebo. Results: The mean age of patients in phloroglucinol group was 28.3 ± 4.01 and in control group was 26.6 ± 6.8 years. The mean period of gestation in Phloroglucinol group was 37.3 ± 4.0 while in control group was 38.6 ± 2.08 weeks. The mean BMI of patients in Phl group was 22.12 ± 1.4 while in control group was 21.6 2 ± 1.5. The mean duration of active phase of 1st stage of labour in Phl group was 290.4 ± 29.7 minutes while in control group was 402.4 ± 29.7 minutes. Conclusion: Phloroglucinolhas significant effect in shortening the 1st stage of labour.Keywords: Active phase, Labour, Phloroglucinol, Pregnancy.