Effectiveness of a Novel Partograph (WHO Labour Care Guide) on Maternal and Perinatal Outcome among Intranatal Mothers Admitted at Selected Tertiary Care Hospitals: A Quantitative Evaluative Study

Abstract

Background

Obstructed and prolonged labour remain leading contributors to preventable maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The World Health Organization introduced the Labour Care Guide (LCG) — referred to in this study as the "novel partograph" — as a next-generation, woman-centred tool for intrapartum monitoring intended to support timely clinical decision-making.

Objectives To determine maternal outcome among mothers monitored with the novel partograph, to determine Perinatal outcome among newborns of mothers monitored with the novel partograph & find out the association between maternal and perinatal outcome with the socio-demographical variables of maternal and perinatal outcome. Methods

A quantitative evaluative approach with a pre-experimental, post-test only design was used. Sixty intranatal mothers admitted to the labour room at Parul Sevashram Hospital and Nirmeet Women's Hospital, Vadodara, were enrolled by non-probability purposive sampling. Labour was monitored using the novel partograph, and maternal and perinatal outcomes were recorded on a validated, self-structured tool (Cronbach's α = 0.723). Data were summarised using frequency and percentage and analysed for association using Fisher's exact test.

Results

Most mothers (83.3%) had a spontaneous vaginal delivery, 10% underwent emergency caesarean section, and 83.3% had no maternal complications; 93.3% were discharged in normal condition. Among newborns, 86.7% were alive and healthy with an Apgar score of 7–10 at five minutes, and 86.7% did not require NICU admission; one fresh stillbirth (1.6%) was recorded. Statistically significant associations (p < 0.05) were found between maternal and perinatal outcome and age, education, occupation, gravida, gestational age on admission, booking status, number of antenatal visits, high-risk pregnancy status, and previous caesarean section; residence and socio-economic status were not significantly associated with most outcome variables.

Conclusion

Use of the novel partograph was associated with a favourable pattern of maternal and perinatal outcome in this low-risk, well-booked cohort. Outcome remained significantly shaped by the mother's socio-demographic and antenatal profile, suggesting the tool is best implemented as one component of a broader system of antenatal risk screening and obstetric care rather than as a stand-alone determinant of outcome.