Jay Manoj Sheth, Bhumika Himatbhai Bhagat
BACKGROUND Term “active management of labour” means codified approach to manage women in labour. It aims at reducing discomfort and pain of mother, shortening duration of labour, and reducing cesarean section rate. Recently, much focus is around shortening duration of labour. It is the single factor which can reduce pain and discomfort of parturient lady. Role of Buscopan (hyoscineN-butylbromide) as labour accelerant has not been evaluated despite the fact that same pathways which mediate pain also mediate cervical dilation. 1 Factors responsible for cervical dilatation, other than parasympathomimetic mediators, like spasmolytic effect and relaxation of pelvic muscles, smooth muscle relaxation of cervix, softening and ripening of cervix, etc. are also affected by Buscopan. 2 Aims and Objectives: 1) Efficacy of Buscopan suppository in reducing duration of active stage of labour. 2) Safety of Buscopan suppository. MATERIALS AND METHODS Randomized controlled prospective study in primiparous women with singleton intra-uterine full-term pregnancy, who go into labour spontaneously, in tertiary care institute between 1 st Jan 2009 to 31st Dec 2009. In the study group, 25 women were given single Buscopan suppository 10 mg, at 3 cm cervical dilatation, post-amniotomy. 25 women who were not given any medication were taken as controls. RESULTS Mean duration of active stage of labour in study group was ~104 minutes less than the same in control group. There was statistically significant shortening in duration of active stage of labour, by 104 (±25) minutes (p value <0.05). There were no ill-effects seen in babies. All babies passed urine and stool well within physiological limit. No patient had any known serious complications of Buscopan.
