• Christine L Roberts, Charles S Algert, and Emily Olive.
• Centre for Perinatal Health Services Research, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. christine.roberts@perinatal.usyd.edu.au
• Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2004 Dec 1;44(6):489-94.

BackgroundNew techniques for administering epidural analgesia allow increased mobility for labouring women with epidurals.AimTo determine the effect of ambulation or upright positions in the first stage of labour among women with epidural analgesia on mode of delivery and other maternal and infant outcomes.MethodsWe undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCT) of ambulation or upright positions versus recumbency in the first stage of labour among women with effective first-stage epidural analgesia in an uncomplicated pregnancy. Trials were identified by searching Medline, Embase and CINAHL databases and the Cochrane Trials Register to March 2004. Trial eligibility and outcomes were prespecified. Group tabular data were obtained for each trial and analysed using meta-analytic techniques.ResultsThere were five eligible RCT, with a total of 1161 women. There was no statistically significant difference in the mode of delivery when women with an epidural ambulated in the first stage of labour compared with those who remained recumbent: instrumental delivery (relative risk (RR) = 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-1.44) and Caesarean section (RR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.70-1.19). There were no significant differences between the groups in use of oxytocin augmentation, the duration of labour, satisfaction with analgesia or Apgar scores. There were no apparent adverse effects of ambulation, but data were reported by only a few trials.ConclusionsAlthough ambulation in the first stage of labour for women with epidural analgesia provided no clear benefit to delivery outcomes or satisfaction with analgesia, neither were there are any obvious harms.

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