Abnormal Labor Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Saju Joy, MD, MS; Chief Editor: Thomas Chih Cheng Peng, MD   more...
 
Updated: Aug 12, 2011
 
 

Differential Diagnoses

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Saju Joy, MD, MS  Associate Director, Division Chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carolinas Medical Center

Saju Joy, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, American Medical Association, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Patricia L Scott, MD  Fellow in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Wake Forest University, Bowman Gray School of Medicine

Patricia L Scott, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and Tennessee Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Deborah Lyon, MD  Director, Division of Gynecology, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida Health Science Center at Jacksonville

Deborah Lyon, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Association of American Medical Colleges, Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and Florida Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Robert K Zurawin, MD  Associate Professor, Director of Baylor College of Medicine Program for Minimally Invasive Gynecology, Director of Fellowship Program, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine

Robert K Zurawin, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Harris County Medical Society, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Johnson and Johnson Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Conceptus Honoraria Speaking and teaching; ConMed Consulting fee Consulting

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Richard S Legro, MD  Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Milton S Hershey Medical Center

Richard S Legro, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Endocrine Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society of Reproductive Surgeons

Disclosure: Korea National Institute of Health and National Institute of Health (Bethesda, MD) Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Greater Toronto Area Reproductive Medicine Society (Toronto, ON, CA) Honoraria Speaking and teaching; American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (Washington, DC) Honoraria Speaking and teaching; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Research Think Tank Panel (Bethesda, MD) Honoraria Speaking and teaching; University of Illinois (Chicago, IL) Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Georgetown University Hospital (Washington, DC) Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Heilongjiang University (Harbin, China) Speaking and teaching; New England Fertility Society (Nashua, NJ) Honoraria Speaking and teaching; William Beaumont Hospital Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (Detroit, MI) Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Wayne State University School of Medicine (Detroit MI) Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Frederick B Gaupp, MD  Consulting Staff, Department of Family Practice, Hancock Medical Center

Frederick B Gaupp, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Family Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Thomas Chih Cheng Peng, MD  Professor (Collateral), Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, VCU Health System

Thomas Chih Cheng Peng, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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  17. [Best Evidence] Allen VM, Baskett TF, O'Connell CM, McKeen D, Allen AC. Maternal and perinatal outcomes with increasing duration of the second stage of labor. Obstet Gynecol. Jun 2009;113(6):1248-58. [Medline].

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  21. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Committee on Practice Bulletins-Obstetrics. ACOG Practice Bulletin Number 49, December 2003: Dystocia and augmentation of labor. Obstet Gynecol. Dec 2003;102(6):1445-54. [Medline].

  22. Cheng YW, Hopkins LM, Laros RK Jr, et al. Duration of the second stage of labor in multiparous women: maternal and neonatal outcomes. Am J Obstet Gynecol. Jun 2007;196(6):585.e1-6. [Medline].

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Labor curve for nulliparas.
Labor curve for nulliparas versus multiparas.
Abnormal labor curve.
Table. Abnormal Labor Indicators
IndicationNulliparaMultipara
Prolonged latent phase>20 h>14 h
Average second stage50 min20 min
Prolonged second stage without (with) epidural>2 h (>3 h)>1 h (>2 h)
Protracted dilation< 1.2 cm/h< 1.5 cm/h
Protracted descent< 1 cm/h< 2 cm/h
Arrest of dilation*>2 h>2 h
Arrest of descent*>2 h>1 h
Prolonged third stage>30 min>30 min
*Adequate contractions >200 Montevideo units [MVU] per 10 minutes for 2 hours. (Please refer to the Pathophysiology for information regarding adequate contractions.)
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