The duration of labor in primiparas undergoing vaginal birth after cesarean delivery.

The purpose of this retrospective investigation was to evaluate the duration of labor in women having a trial of labor after a previous low transverse cervical cesarean delivery for dystocia. We specifically sought to determine whether these patients experienced a labor similar to that of the nulliparous or multiparous woman. During the study period, 73 women who had previously undergone a cesarean for dystocia had a successful trial of labor. We matched each study patient to two controls. One control was nulliparous and the second was a woman who had undergone a previous uncomplicated vaginal delivery. Thirty-six study patients had had a cesarean in the latent phase of labor (group I), 29 in the active phase of labor (group II), and eight in the second stage of labor (group III). With the exception of group I patients, the first and second stages of labor were similar to those of nulliparous control patients. Patients in group I had a significantly longer first stage of labor than did the nulliparous controls. There was no significant difference in oxytocin requirements among the three groups. We conclude that primiparous women who have had a previous cesarean delivery for dystocia have a duration of labor similar in length or longer than that of nulliparous women.