Purpose: This study was aimed at determining if significant uterine tachysystole was associated with adverse fetal or neonatal outcomes during cervical ripening and induction of labor. Methods: Women undergoing cervical ripening and subsequent labor induction (n = 905) were assessed for tachysystole, defined as ≥6 contractions in each of 2 consecutive 10-minute windows. Women with ≥3 episodes of tachysystole were compared to women with no tachysystole. Results: Over a 5-year period, 70% of the 905 participants (n = 631) had no tachysystole, 143 had 1 or 2 episodes whereas 131 or 15% had ≥3 episodes (p = 0.991). The cesarean delivery rate was lower among those with tachysystole (28.2 vs. 34.1%), but the difference was not significant (p = 0.197). Non-reassuring fetal tracings were more common in the tachysystole group (14.4 vs. 21.4%, p = 0.017), but the Apgar scores at 5 min and the umbilical cord pH and base excess were similar between the 2 groups (p = 0.502, p = 0.435, and p = 0.535, respectively). Conclusions: Tachysystole was not associated with adverse perinatal outcomes when compared to women with no tachysystole during cervical ripening and induction of labor.

Keywords:
Tachysystole, Cervical ripening, Labor induction, Adverse outcomes
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© 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel
2016
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