It is common practice to discourage food intake during labour. Now a study in London, England, has suggested that a light diet does no harm.
The study included 2,426 nondiabetic nulliparae in labour at term with a singleton, cephalic-presenting fetus and at least 5 cm cervical dilatation. Randomization was to light (low fat, low residue) diet or water only. The rate of normal vaginal delivery was 44% in each group. Duration of labour was similar in the two groups (597 minutes with food, 612 minutes with water only). There were no significant differences in rates of instrumental or Caesarean delivery, maternal vomiting, or use of epidural analgesia or oxytocin. There were no cases of aspiration. Apgar scores and rates of admission to neonatal intensive care were similar.
Allowing women to eat in labour caused no harm.
O’Sullivan G, et al. Effect of food intake during labour on obstetric outcome: randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2009;338:880; Downe S. Eating a light diet during labour. Ibid: 842–843 (editorial).
MIMS Online http://www.mims.com/Page.aspx?menuid=RecentHL&RecentHeaderID=354
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