Lactate Values During Labour and Their Correlation With Maternal and Foetal Outcome

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) represents a significant cause of morbidity in the obstetric population, with a mortality rate of 140,000 women per year, and the predominant cause of PPH (70%) is uterine atony. Consequently, elevated lactate levels during labour could influence maternal and foetal well-being. We decided to assess lactate concentrations during labour in women receiving neuraxial anaesthesia and evaluate the association between high lactate levels and adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. The secondary aims of the study were to assess lactate levels at different stages of labour and investigate whether increased lactate concentrations could influence neonatal cord pH upon delivery.