Intra uterine pressure monitoring for augmentation or induction of labour with intravenous oxytocin: Benefits and costs.

In The Netherlands, approximately 10.000 deliveries are induced with oxytocin and 15.000 deliveries are augmented each year (LVR 2, 2002).
Many clinicians monitor frequency and strength of contractions with an intrauterine pressure catheter (IUPC). It is questionable whether monitoring contractions with IUPC is beneficial in terms of maternal or fetal outcome and whether it is cost effective.

- The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of IUPC in comparison to external monitoring during induction of labour.

Women will be at random allocated to placement of an IUPC (intervention group) or external uterine activity monitoring (control group).

- The primary outcome measure will be the number of instrumental deliveries, i.e. caesarean sections and/or assisted vaginal delivery.
- Secondary outcome measures are the occurrence of neonatal admittance to ICU, need for antibiotics by mother or child, total amount of oxytocin used, complications, time to delivery and costs.

- The study will be designed as an equivalence study. Under the assumption of equal neonatal and maternal morbidity, it is hypothesised that IUPC will reduce the number of instrumental deliveries from 25% to 16%. Analysis will be by intention to treat.

Our hypothesis is that use of an IUPC, during augmentation or induction of labour with intravenous oxytocin, will reduce the number of instrumental deliveries from 25% to 16%.

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Intra uterien pressure monitoring with a catheter during labour.