Outcome of the next labour in women who had a vaginal delivery in their first pregnancy

Abstract

This study reviews the outcome of the next labour in women who are delivered vaginally in their first pregnancy. The influence of the method of delivery in the first pregnancy and of factors in both the first and next labour on the type of delivery in the second pregnancy, are recorded in a group of 13,813 women. Those delivered spontaneously and by vacuum, low forceps and mid-forceps in their first pregnancy had a 96%, 91%, 88% and 82% chance, respectively, of spontaneous delivery in their next pregnancy. The type of labour (spontaneous, induced or augmented) in the first pregnancy had minimal influence on the method of delivery in the second pregnancy. Compared with spontaneous onset, induction and augmentation of labour in the second pregnancy reduced the chance of spontaneous delivery by 6% and 18%, respectively.