Comparison of delivery and maternal and neonatal outcomes among ELA and NELA cohorts after propensity score matching
| Outcomes | ELA (n=137) | NELA (n=137) | P value |
| Delivery | |||
| Mode of delivery | <0.001 | ||
| Spontaneous | 63 (46.0) | 57 (41.6) | 0.47 |
| Assisted vaginal | 49 (35.8) | 17 (12.4) | <0.001 |
| Caesarean | 25 (18.3) | 63 (46.0) | <0.001 |
| Stage of labour (min) | |||
| First stage of labour | 532.9±202.7 | 411.3±160.4 | <0.001 |
| Second stage of labour | 57.5±31.4 | 53.1±31.9 | 0.41 |
| Total duration of labour | 591.7±214.9 | 465.9±161.9 | <0.001 |
| Maternal | |||
| Blood loss (mL) | 287.2±89.3 | 319.9±103.4 | 0.005 |
| Total dose of oxytocin (IU) | 14.7±5.0 | 14.1±5.1 | 0.28 |
| Lateral episiotomy | 39/112 (34.8) | 17/74 (23.0) | 0.10 |
| Length of stay (days) | 3.9±1.1 | 5.1±1.6 | <0.001 |
| Maternal complications | |||
| Maternal fever | 31 (22.6) | 14 (10.2) | 0.01 |
| Postpartum haemorrhage | 1 (0.7) | 2 (1.5) | >0.99 |
| Infection | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.7) | >0.99 |
| DVT | 1 (0.7) | 4 (2.9) | 0.37 |
| Amniotic fluid embolism | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.7) | >0.99 |
| Neonatal | |||
| Birth weight (kg) | 3.5±0.6 | 3.3±0.5 | <0.001 |
| Plasma glucose level (mmol/L) | 5.5±1.9 | 4.9±1.7 | 0.01 |
| Apgar score <7 points | |||
| At 1 min after birth | 16 (11.7) | 14 (10.2) | 0.85 |
| At 5 min after birth | 6 (4.4) | 7 (5.1) | >0.99 |
| Neonates transferred to NICU | 11 (8.0) | 26 (19.0) | 0.01 |
| Neonatal complications | |||
| Macrosomia | 28 (20.4) | 11 (8.0) | 0.005 |
| Neonatal hypoglycaemia | 5 (3.7) | 16 (11.7) | 0.02 |
| Hyperbilirubinaemia | 47 (34.3) | 44 (32.1) | 0.80 |
| Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome | 3 (2.2) | 7 (5.1) | 0.33 |
| Perinatal mortality | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | >0.99 |
DVT, deep venous thrombosis; ELA, epidural labour analgesia; NELA, non-epidural labour analgesia; NICU, neonatal intensive care unit.