Background: A prolonged second stage is generally responsible for maternal and neonatal morbidities like postpartum hemorrhage, third or fourth degree perineal tears, operative modes of deliveries, increased risk of Apgar score less than 7, meconium passage and neonatal intensive care unit(NICU) admission.

Methodology: This is a prospective, observational study conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Gajra raja Medical College, Gwalior Madhya Pradesh, from January 2017 to June 2017 done on 500 cases. Study included uncomplicated primipara and multipara, single viable pregnancy, fetus in vertex position and gestational age > 37 weeks.

Results: Out of the total 500 patients, 286 were nulliarpous and 214 were multiparous. 15.7% of nulliparous patients had prolonged labour. 72 belongs to > 35 years age group, 33 of them had prolonged second stage of labour. Out of the total 70 patients with prolonged second stage of labour 55.8% underwent the vaginal delivery and 44.2% underwent caesarean section. Of the total 500 patients, 33 had perineal trauma of which 24 had prolonged second stage of labour. 39 had PPH of which 26 had prolonged second stage, 74 babies had low apgar score of which 46 had prolonged second stage. 86 were admitted in NICU for > 48 hrs of which 51 were born to mother with prolonged second stage of labour.

Conclusion: The maternal and perinatal morbidities increase with prolonged duration of the second stage of labour. Hence second stage of labour should be monitored with vigilance.

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Dr Shikha Asrani

P.G. Student, Dept of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,

Kamla Raja Hospital, G.R. Medical College, Gwalior (M.P.), India