Posture in labour: patients' choice and its effect on performance.

In a study to assess the influence of maternal posture on the progress and efficiency of labour, 275 parturients were asked to choose between remaining in bed during labour or being ambulant. Among primigravidae in spontaneous labour those who remained ambulant throughout had the shortest labours; they also had shorter labours than others who were only partially ambulant. Analysis of the data, based on original preference, however, suggests that an easy labour allows ambulation rather than vice versa. Radiotelemetry was used to transmit the fetal heart signal in all ambulant patients and provided satisfactory fetal surveillance in both high- and low-risk labours.