Table 1.

Similarities and differences between the partograph and the Labour Care Guide

Modified WHO partograph	WHO Labour Care Guide
Similarities
Graphical representation of the progress of labour in terms of women's cervical dilatation and descent of the fetal presenting part, against time
Formal regular recording of important clinical parameters describing the wellbeing of the woman and baby
Differences
Active phase defined as starting from 4 cm of cervical dilatation	Active phase defined as starting from 5 cm of cervical dilatation
Fixed 1 cm/hour ‘alert’ line and ‘action’ lines	Evidence‐based time limits at each centimetre of cervical dilatation
No second‐stage section	Intensified monitoring in second stage
No recording of supportive care interventions	Explicit recording of labour companionship, pain relief, oral fluid intake and posture
Records strength, duration and frequency of uterine contractions	Records duration and frequency of uterine contractions
No explicit requirement to respond to deviations from expected observations of any labour parameter, other than cervical dilatation alert and action lines	Requires deviations to be highlighted and the corresponding response to be recorded by the provider