Intrapartum Ultrasound Assessment of Fetal Spine Position

Table 2

Data about the occiput and spinal positions during the first and second stages of labour (for all patients) and at delivery (only in vaginal deliveries).

	Data about all patients
		Number	Anterior number (%)	Posterior number (%)	Transverse (right or left) number (%)
First stage of labour	Occiput	256	66 (25.8)	133 (52.0)§	57 (22.3)
	Spine	256	49 (19.1)	47 (18.4)^#	160 (62.5)
Second stage of labour	Occiput	256	171 (66.8)	67 (26.2)*	18 (7.0)
	Spine	256	176 (68.8)	41 (16.0)**	39 (15.2)
	Data about only patients who delivered through the vaginal route
First stage of labour	Occiput	210	60 (28.6)	102 (48.6)	48 (22.8)
	Spine	210	45 (21.5)	20 (9.5)	145 (69.0)
Second stage of labour	Occiput	210	159 (75.8)	40 (19.0)	11 (5.2)
	Spine	210	162 (77.1)	15 (7.1)	33 (15.8)
Occiput at birth	—	210	194 (92.4)	16 (7.6)	—

§Of these, 71 cases changed position, 68 cases shifted to the occiput anterior position, and three cases shifted to the transverse position.
^#Among the 47 cases of posterior spinal position, 42 (89%) showed a concordant occiput posterior position, whereas the remaining five cases showed a nonconcordant occiput position. The results in all cases were in the transverse position.
*Of these, 62 already belonged to the occiput posterior position at the first stage of labour, and five changed into the occiput posterior position from the transverse position at first stage.
**All of the 41 posterior spinal positions detected at the second stage of labour were in the same position at the first stage of labour. Only six posterior spinal positions at the first stage of labour changed into the other position, four cases changed to the anterior spinal position, and two cases changed to the transverse position.