Nursing research
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effects of immediate versus delayed pushing during second-stage labor on fetal well-being: a randomized clinical trial.
Although there are two methods of caring for women with epidural anesthesia during second-stage labor (coached closed-glottis pushing immediately at 10-cm cervical dilation or delayed pushing until the woman feels the urge to push, passive fetal descent, and encouragement of open-glottis pushing when the woman has the urge to push), there are limited data concerning which method is most optimal for fetal well-being. ⋯ Delayed pushing results in less fetal oxygen desaturation and less > or =2-min epochs of fetal oxygen saturation <30% during second-stage labor than the immediate pushing method; thus, delayed pushing is more favorable for fetal well-being as measured by fetal oxygen saturation.