Table 2 Labour length and retrospectively reported pain and satisfaction among nulliparous women with dystocia allocated to labour in a birth pool or standard augmentation (amniotomy and intravenous oxytocin). Values are numbers (percentages) of women unless otherwise indicated

Outcomes
 Labour in water (n=49)
 Augmentation (n=50)
 Mean differences (95% CI)
 P value
Mean (SD, range) length of first stage of labour (hours)
10.47 (3.69, 3.75-19.32)
10.26 (3.75, 4.25-21.37)
0.22 (-1.27 to 1.70)
0.677{dagger}
Pain score (visual analogue scale)*:




Mean (SD, range) pain score 30 minutes after start of management (0-100 mm)
49 (22, 8-96)
64 (30, 0-100)
-16 (-27 to -5)
0.003{dagger}
Mean (SD, range) change in score after 30 minutes of management (-50 to 50 mm)
-26 (16, -50-28)
12 (32, -50-50)
-38 (-49 to 28)
<0.001{dagger}
Maternal satisfaction
 (n=47)*
 (n=48)*
 Relative risk of satisfaction (95% CI)
With freedom of movement:




Satisfied
43 (91)
30 (63)
1.46 (1.18 to 1.91)
0.001{ddagger}
Satisfied and dissatisfied
4 (9)
15 (31)
Dissatisfied
0
0
Not sure
0
3 (6)
With privacy:




Satisfied
45 (96)
39 (81)
1.18 (1.02 to 1.42)
0.029{ddagger}
Satisfied and dissatisfied
2 (4)
9 (19)
Dissatisfied
0
0
Not sure
0
0
With overall management:




Satisfied
44 (94)
42 (88)
1.07 (0.93 to 1.26)
0.486§
Satisfied and dissatisfied
2 (4)
6 (13)
Dissatisfied
1 (2)
0
Not sure
0
0

{dagger}Mann-Whitney test. {ddagger}Pearson {chi}2 test. §Exact {chi}2 and confidence interval.

* Postnatal interviews were conducted for 48 women allocated to augmentation and 47 women allocated to labour in water. A further two women in each group declined to answer the pain questions.