The Impact of Maternal Obesity on the Duration of Labor Stages in Dinoprostone-Induced Vaginal Delivery

TL;DR

This study finds that obese women have longer active labor and total labor duration during dinoprostone-induced vaginal delivery compared to non-obese women.

Contribution

The study identifies a specific association between maternal obesity and prolonged active labor during dinoprostone-induced delivery.

Findings

Obese women had significantly longer active labor and total induced labor duration.

Obese women required more oxytocin augmentation and had higher median infant birth weight.

Latent phase duration was not affected by BMI.

Abstract

Objective: Dinoprostone vaginal inserts are widely used as one of the primary pharmacological methods for labor induction. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether BMI affects the duration of the different phases of labor in pregnant women undergoing vaginal delivery induced with slow-release dinoprostone. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on pregnant women at a tertiary maternity hospital between August 2021 and February 2023. Patients were categorized into three groups according to BMI: normal-weight, overweight, and obese. The duration of total labor and each phase of induced labor was recorded. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the association between maternal obesity and the duration of each phase of the labor process. Results: The final analysis included 205 women who received slow-release dinoprostone for labor induction. The mean maternal age was significantly lower in the normal-weight group (p < 0.01). The obese group showed a higher need for oxytocin augmentation and had a higher median infant birth weight compared to the normal and overweight groups. After adjusting for confounders, multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the duration of the latent phase of labor did not differ between the groups. However, the duration of the active phase of labor and total induced labor were significantly longer in the obese group. Conclusions: An increased BMI in pregnant women is associated with a longer active phase and overall labor duration during dinoprostone-induced delivery.

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