Active management of labor as an alternative to cesarean section for dystocia.

There is general agreement that a solution to the problem of dystocia would go a long way toward resolving the contentious issue of high cesarean birth rates that have become such a prominent feature of obstetric practice in recent years. At the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin, one of the largest obstetric units in Western Europe, this situation has been averted through a coordinated policy of early detection and effective treatment of abnormal uterine action over a period of 15 years. During 1980 the number of births was 8742, the incidence of cesarean section was 4.8%, and mothers were assured of delivery within 12 hours after admission to the labor unit. It is proposed that these results could be reproduced elsewhere.