Effects of Ropivacaine in Patient-Controlled Epidural Analgesia on Uterine Electromyographic Activities during Labor

Table 2

Maternal and fetal outcomes.

	Control	Levobupivacaine	Ropivacaine	P value
	n = 69	n = 66	n = 78
Cesarean, n ()	4 (5.80%)	10 (15.15%)	7 (8.97%)	0.18
Instrumental, n ()	7 (10.15%)	5 (7.58%)	5 (6.41%)	0.70
Neonatal birth weight (g)	3148.33 ± 33.81	3215.53 ± 39.58	3272.31 ± 44.90	0.08
Duration of 1st stage of labor (min)	562.00 ± 25.06	677.14 ± 32.36	590.63 ± 25.41	0.01
Postpartum hemorrhage (ml)	252.46 ± 10.09	247.73 ± 8.93	245.38 ± 10.99	0.88
1 minute Apgar	9(8-10)	9(7-10)	9(6-10)	<0.001
5 minute Apgar	9(8-10)	9(8-10)	9(9-10)	<0.001
10 minute Apgar	9(9-10)	9(8-10)	9(8-10)	0.98
Meconium stained amniotic fluid, n ()	9 (13.04%)	12 (18.18%)	18 (23.38%)	0.29

Data are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean, n (%), or median (range).
Table 2 shows maternal and fetal outcomes in the three groups. The episiotomy rate (P=0.001) and Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min (P<0.001) in the ropivacaine group were significantly higher than those in the levobupivacaine and control groups. Both the control and ropivacaine groups had a shorter duration of first stage of labor than that described in the levobupivacaine group (P=0.01).
P<0.001 vs control or levobupivacaine group.
P<0.05 vs levobupivacaine group.