Background: The use of enemas during labor usually depends on the preference of the attending physician and available resources. However enemas cause discomfort in women and increase the costs of delivery.
Objectives: The objective of this review was to assess the effects of enemas during the first stage of labor on infection rates in mothers and newborns, duration of labor, perineal wound dehiscence in the mother, perineal pain, faecal soiling and costs.
Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, Medline and reference lists of articles.
Selection criteria: Randomised trials in which an enema was administered during the first stage of labor and which included assessment of possible neonatal or puerperal morbidity or mortality.
Data collection and analysis: Selected studies were assessed by three reviewers independently.
Main results: Two trials involving 665 women were included. These showed no clear difference in infection rates for puerperal mothers (odds ratio 0.61, 95% confidence interval 0.36 to 1.04) or newborn children.
Reviewer's conclusions: There is not enough evidence to evaluate the use of routine enemas during the first stage of labor.