| Description |
Occipitoposterior fetal positions in gravid women during labor and delivery have been recognized as more uncomfortable and more often associated with intrusive obstetrical interventions than the more common occipito-anterior labors and deliveries. The study attempted to determine whether a prenatal exercise regime consisting of maternal hands and knees posture and the external forces of pelvic rocking and stroking of the maternal flank over the fetal back could decrease occipitoposterior fetal positions at labor onset. It was postulated that the maternity experience would be safer and more satisfying if the nonintrusive exercise regime was associated with an increase in anterior fetal rotations. Such findings would then support the studies by C. M. Andrews (1975, 1977) which demonstrated 100?^ fetal anterior positions after a single 10-minute practice of the above exercise combination. The following research questions were proposed: 1. What effect will a specific prenatal exercise regime have on the intrauterine fetal position found at labor onset? 2. After the above exercise regime, will more anterior fetal positions be observed at labor onset? A sample of 42 gravid women between the ages of 17 and 39 years from Hill Air Force Base Prenatal Clinic were interviewed, examined, and taught the exercise regime between the 37th and 40th week of pregnancy. Each subject was instructed to practice the exercise for 10 minutes each day until the onset of labor. Examiners used Leopold's Maneuvers to determine fetal position at the prenatal contact and during the admission examination for labor. Data were computerized and analyzed through the use of frequencies, chi-squares, t tests, and one-way analysis of variance tests. Among the gravid subjects who practiced good compliance to the exercise regime, 58.33% of the primiparas and 66.67% of the multiparas demonstrated fetal rotation consistent with the forces of the exercise regime (gravity, motion, and abdominal stroking) indicating that the exercise was associated with fetal rotation (research question 1). Engagement of the fetal head in the maternal pelvis did not hinder fetal rotation. Occipi to posterior fetal positions decreased from 25% prenatally to 12.5% at labor onset; occipito-anterior fetal positions increased from 31.25% prenatally to 34.4% at labor onset, which was indicative of a trend toward support of research question 2 but was not statistically significant. |
