First Stage of Labor Practices at Mansoura Governmental Hospitals: Consistency with Performance Standards for Maternal and Neonatal Health

The purpose of this study was to assess the practices of first stage of labor at Governmental Hospitals at Mansoura City and their consistency with performance standards for maternal and neonatal health, normal labor and delivery (NLD). A cross sectional descriptive design was utilized. This study was carried out at the labour and delivery unit at Mansoura University Hospital, Mansoura General Hospital, Mansoura International Hospital, and Sandoub Hospital, in Dakahlia Governorate. The current study conducted on two groups, 46 health care providers (obstetricians and nurses) and 243 intrapartum women who were admitted to labour and delivery unit in the previously mentioned hospitals. Data were collected by two tools; the first tool is an interviewing questionnaire for health care providers and the second is performance standards for maternal and neonatal health (NLD). Study results showed low percentage of achievement regarding first stage of labor standards, among all studied hospitals. Based on the findings of the present study, the quality of maternal and newborn health care must be achieved and maintained by adhering to quality assurance standards, health care providers need to be trained on inter-personal skills in order to have positive and sensitive attitude toward women’s during labour which will in turn influence their usability of the hospital facilities during labour, recommended strategies to address unmet needs of PPFP, periodic training about the use of the partograph should be provided to all health care providers, and regular supportive supervision is also needed to motivate staff to utilize the partograph and record their findings accordingly.