Use of Amniotic Fluid Lactate Concentration in Prediction of Dysfunctional Labour at the University College Hospital, Ibadan Amniotic Fluid Lactate Concentration in Prediction of Dysfunctional Labour Section Original Articles

Abstract

In order to determine the association between amniotic fluid lactate concentration (AFLC) and dysfunctional labour, we recruited booked, consenting parturients in active phase of labour into a cross-sectional study. Amniotic fluid samples, taken twice, were measured using primed lactate metre. Of the 113 parturients with mean age of 30.49 ± 4.37 years, the overall mean AFLC was 18.94 ± 4.84 mmol/L while 10(8.8%) had dysfunctional labour. Mean AFLC for parturients who had vaginal delivery was 18.76 ± 4.90mmol/L and 17.42 ± 5.26 mmol/L at first and second samplings while for those who had caesarean deliveries, mean AFLCs were 20.80 ± 2.75 and 18.24 ± 3.59 at the two samplings respectively. The cut–off for AFLC that best discriminated between normal and dysfunctional labour was 19.80 mmol/L. We concluded that high levels of AFLC may play a role in predicting dysfunctional labour among our parturients.