The impact of non-significant variable decelerations appearing in the latent phase on delivery mode: a prospective cohort study

Table 1 Demographic and clinical data associated with fetal heart rate category

	Category I	Category II	Category II	p^a
		NSV	SV
	(N = 251)	(N = 186)	(N = 76)
Maternal characteristics
Maternal age, years	29.7 ± 5.9	29.6 ± 5.6	29.6 ± 5.2	0.9
Body mass index, kg/m²	29.3 ± 4.5	29.2 ± 4.8	30.8 ± 5.3	0.05^b
Gestational age, weeks	39.6 ± 1.2	39.4 ± 1.5	39.6 ± 1.3	0.5
Parity	2.6 ± 1.6	2.5 ± 1.5	2.3 ± 1.5	0.4
Primiparous vs Multiparous				0.05^b
Primiparous	72 (28.7)	56 (30.1)	33 (43.4)
Multiparous	179 (71.3)	130 (69.9)	43 (56.6)
Maternal disease	20 (8.0)	39 (21.0)	14 (18.4)	0.0001^c
Oligohydramnios	13 (5.2)	21 (11.7)	18 (23.7)	0.0001^d
Polyhydramnios	6 (2.4)	4 (2.2)	2 (2.6)	1
Induction of labor	62 (24.7)	121 (65.1)	58 (76.3)	0.0001^c
Epidural	61 (24.3)	61 (32.8)	32 (42.1)	0.0001^c
Delivery method				0.0001^b
Spontaneous Vaginal	238 (94.8)	166 (89.2)	40 (52.6)
Vacuum or cesarean	13 (5.2)	20 (10.8)	36 (47.4)
Vacuum	6 (2.4)	8 (4.3)	11 (14.5)
Cesarean	7 (2.8)	12 (6.5)	25 (32.9)
Reasons for vacuum or cesarean delivery				0.03^b
Non reassuring fetal heart rate monitoring	3 (23.1)	5 (25.0)	20 (55.6)
Failure to progress in the active or second stage	10 (76.9)	15 (75.0)	16 (44.4)
Neonatal outcome
Neonatal weight, g	3329 ± 392	3297 ± 439	3130 ± 487	0.002^b
Neonates born < 2500 g	2 (0.8)	7 (3.8)	9 (11.8)	0.0001^e
Apgar score at 5 minutes	9.96 ± 0.23	9.90 ± 0.31	9.86 ± 0.39	0.01
Cord pH	7.31 ± 0.07	7.31 ± 0.07	7.30 ± 0.08	0.5
Cord pH between 7.0 and 7.1	2 (0.8)	1 (0.5%)	4 (5.3)	0.008^b
Meconium stained amniotic fluid	22 (8.8)	26 (14.0)	15 (19.7)	0.03^f
Nuchal cord or true knot	23 (9.2)	19 (10.2)	12 (15.8)	0.3
Neonatal deaths	0	0	0	1

Data are mean ± standard deviation or n (%) unless otherwise specified.
^aComparison of all three groups; ^bCategory II-SV versus Category I and Category II-NSV; ^cCategory II-NSV and Category II-SV versus Category I; ^dCategory II-NSV versus Category I, p = 0.01, ^dCategory II-SV versus Category II-NSV, p = 0.02;
^eCategory II-NSV versus Category I, p = 0.04, ^eCategory II-SV versus Category II-NSV, p = 0.02; ^fCategory II-SV versus Category I.
Abbreviations: NSV: non-significant variable decelerations (study group); SV: significant variable decelerations; NS: non-significant. Maternal disease: hypertensive disorders, gestational or pre-gestational diabetes, thrombophilia, cardiac disease and asthma.

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