| Affiliation: | 1. Mancha-Centro Hospital, Av. Constitución, 3, 13600, Alcázar de San Juan, Ciudad Real, Spain;2. University of Castilla-La Mancha, Facultad de Enfermería, Edificio Benjamín Palencia, Campus Universitario, s/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain;3. Hospital Universitario de Torrejón, Mateo Inurria, s/n, Soto del Henares, 28850, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain;4. Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Obispo Rafael Torija, s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain;5. Mancha-Centro Midwifery Teaching Unit, Av. Constitución, 3, 13600, Alcázar de San Juan, Ciudad Real, Spain |
| Abstract: | AimTo assess the relationship between the duration of the second stage of labour and postpartum anaemia during vaginal birth.MethodsAn observational, analytical retrospective cohort study was performed at the “Mancha-Centro Hospital” (Spain) during the 2013–2016 period. Data were collected from 3437 women who had a vaginal birth. Postpartum anaemia was defined as a haemoglobin level below 11 g/dL at 24 h postpartum. A univariate analysis was used for potential risk factors and a multivariate analysis with binary logistic regression to control for possible confounding factors.FindingsThe incidence of postpartum anaemia was 42.0%. The risk of postpartum anaemia did not increase in nulliparous women whose duration of the second stage of labour exceeded 4 h. Compared with multiparous women who delivered between 0 and 3 h, multiparous women with a duration of the second stage of labour beyond 3 h were at higher risk of postpartum anaemia (OR = 2.43 [1.30–4.52]).ConclusionThe duration of the second stage of labour beyond 4 h is safe for postpartum anaemia in nulliparous women. However in multiparous women, monitoring should increase if the second stage of labour exceeds 3 h given the increased risk of postpartum anaemia. |
