FAQ

What is the significance of nomograms?
Delay in labour or abnormal labour can be identified at an earlier stage and problems of dysfunctional labour can be attended to before further complications arise thereby improving maternal and neonatal outcome.
What is the advantage of nomograms over partograms?
Nomograms give progress of labour for each cm of Cx dilatation as opposed to Partograms which start at the defined time corresponding with the acceleration phase., therefore, giving a more accurate picture and help predict the time of delivery, thereby allaying anxiety. Women present in labour at different Cx dilatations and for those presenting as dilatation of more than 3 cms, it would be inappropriate to use nomograms used for women with 3 cm dilatation at admission. Thus error in making a decision about time of intervention leading to undue morbidity to mother and foetus is avoided.

How do you interpret progress of labour by using Nomograms?
The curve used to plot the progress of labour, represents the cervimetric progress & if it strays 2 hrs. to the right of the nomograms, labour is adjudged to be prolonged requiring acceleration or intervention.
How do you justify the variations in the 2cm graph ?
It is not truly representative of cervicographic progress and it falls in latent phase of labour which is variable.
How do Nomograms compare to Studd's graphs?
Studd has constructed nomograms based on analysis of 176 caucasian nulliparous women whereas this study has analysed 800 normal labours. Also, Studd has shown women with cervimetric progress at dilatation of 0 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6, 7 to 8 and 9 to 10, thus five slopes normal labour admitted at five different values of cervical dilatations drawn. The present study shows nomograms for each cm of cervical dilatation starting form 2 cm to 9 cm so that the appropriate stencil is used to draw the relevant pencil line of expected progress on the patients cervicograph. Error due to drawing a single line for a range of cervical dilatations at admissions is eliminated.