Table 2.
Complications of labour among deliveries in New Jersey, 1989-93. Values are numbers (percentages)
| Complication | Unassisted (n=327 373) | Forceps (n=26 491) | Vacuum (n=19 120) | Vacuum plus forceps (n=1889) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premature rupture of membranes | 19 330 (5.9) | 1927 (7.3) | 1251 (6.5) | 160 (8.5) |
| Disproportion | 253 (0.1) | 100 (0.4) | 33 (0.2) | 7 (0.4) |
| Obstructed labour: | ||||
| Malposition at onset of labour | 49 (0.0) | 30 (0.1) | 14 (0.1) | 1 (0.1) |
| Obstruction by bony pelvis | 6 (0.0) | 22 (0.1) | 7 (0.0) | 2 (0.1) |
| Deep transverse arrest and persistent occipitoposterior position | 532 (0.2) | 585 (2.2) | 247 (1.3) | 63 (3.3) |
| Other causes | 10 (0.0) | 40 (0.2) | 5 (0.0) | 3 (0.2) |
| Abnormal forces of labour: | ||||
| Primary uterine inertia | 2987 (0.9) | 387 (1.5) | 349 (1.8) | 49 (2.6) |
| Secondary uterine inertia | 1810 (0.6) | 640 (2.4) | 335 (1.8) | 52 (2.8) |
| Other uterine inertia | 7897 (2.4) | 926 (3.5) | 679 (3.6) | 66 (3.5) |
| Precipitate labour | 8763 (2.7) | 117 (0.4) | 141 (0.7) | 8 (0.4) |
| Hypertonic labour, incoordinate or prolonged uterine contraction | 298 (0.1) | 50 (0.2) | 43 (0.2) | 10 (0.5) |
| Long labour | 3 342 (1.0) | 1320 (5.0) | 870 (4.6) | 141 (7.5) |
| Umbilical cord: | ||||
| Prolapse | 1129 (0.3) | 173 (0.7) | 90 (0.5) | 19 (1.0) |
| Tight around neck* | 10 290 (3.1) | 791 (3.0) | 736 (3.8) | 67 (3.5) |
| Entanglement with and without compression* | 53 352 (16.3) | 5327 (20.1) | 3413 (17.9) | 357 (18.9) |
| Other* | 946 (0.3) | 88 (0.3) | 71 (0.4) | 9 (0.5) |
| Induction of labour | 33 509 (10.2) | 2940 (11.1) | 2820 (14.7) | 311 (16.5) |
| Placental abruption | 1175 (0.4) | 217 (0.8) | 109 (0.6) | 17 (0.9) |
| Intrapartum bleeding | 927 (0.3) | 89 (0.3) | 80 (0.4) | 8 (0.4) |
| Fetal distress | 4974 (1.5) | 1508 (5.7) | 1118 (5.8) | 166 (8.8) |
*
Diagnoses after birth.