Comparison between Sonopartogram and Conventional Partogram in Monitoring Progress of Labor

Abstract

Progress of labor has been assessed by digital vaginal examination (VE). We introduce the concept of a non-intrusive ultrasound (US)-based assessment of labor progress (the ‘sonopartogram’) and investigate its feasibility for assessing cervical dilatation and fetal head descent and rotation. This was a prospective study performed in pregnant women in third trimester in Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital. Almost simultaneous assessment of cervical dilatation and fetal head descent and rotation were made by US and digital VE. The total number of paired US and digital VE assessments was 40, the mean difference between VE and US for assessment of cervical dilatation was 0.65 ± 1.11 cm. The limits of agreement were -1.52 to 2.82 cm. There is fair correlation between fetal head station by VE and fetal head-perineum distance by US [Spearman rho = -.3844, p-value =.0143; r2 = 0.1478]. The mean difference between VE and US for assessment of fetal rotation on the face-clock was -0.65 ± 2.38 hours. The limits of agreement were -5.52 to 3.92 hours on face-clock. There is strong agreement between US and VE as