The use of the "purple line" as an auxiliary clinical method for evaluating the active phase of delivery

Abstract

Objectives:to investigate the occurrence of the purple line and its respective discoloration in women during the active phase of labor and its association with dilation of the cervix and the position of the fetus in the pelvis. Methods: a descriptive, prospective, observational study was carried out in 100 women in labor at a normal delivery clinic in the State of São Paulo. Results: the purple line appeared in 56 of the 100 women in the active phase of labor. There was a statistically significant correlation between the measurements for dilation of the cervix and those for the line; in 22% the purple line was discolored and there was no association between the number of women with this discoloration and the extent to which the head of the fetus had descended in the cervix. For 81% of the women in labor, the evaluation caused no discomfort whatsoever. Conclusions: as this line is present, measurement of it could be used to reduce the number of vaginal examinations, especially when the single aim is to measure dilation of the cervix.