Partogram is a composite graphical record of key data (maternal and fetal) during labour entered against time on a single sheet of paper. Relevant measurements might include statistics such as cervical dilation

Cervical dilation

Cervical dilation is the opening of the cervix, the entrance to the uterus, during childbirth, miscarriage, induced abortion, or gynecological surgery...

, fetal heart rate, duration of labour and vital signs

Vital signs

Vital signs are measures of various physiological statistics, often taken by health professionals, in order to assess the most basic body functions. Vital signs are an essential part of a case presentation. The act of taking vital signs normally entails recording body temperature, pulse rate ,...

.

It is intended to provide an accurate record of the progress in labour, so that any delay or deviation from normal may be detected quickly and treated accordingly.

Components:

1. Patient identification
2. Time: It is recorded at an interval of one hour. Zero time for spontaneous labour is time of admission in the labour ward and for induced labour is time of induction.
3. Fetal heart rate: It is recorded at an interval of thirty minutes.
4. State of membranes and colour of liquor: "I" designates intact membranes, "C" designates clear and "M" designates meconium
   Meconium
   Meconium is the earliest stools of an infant. Unlike later feces, meconium is composed of materials ingested during the time the infant spends in the uterus: intestinal epithelial cells, lanugo, mucus, amniotic fluid, bile, and water. Meconium is almost sterile, unlike later feces, is viscous and...
   
    stained liquor.
5. Cervical dilatation and descent of head
6. Uterine contractions: Squares in vertical columns are shaded according to duration and intensity.
7. Drugs and Fluids
8. Blood pressure
   Blood pressure
   Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...
   
   : It is recorded in vertical lines at an interval of 2 hours.
9. Pulse rate: It is also recorded in vertical lines at an interval of 30 minutes.
10. Oxytocin
    Oxytocin
    Oxytocin is a mammalian hormone that acts primarily as a neuromodulator in the brain.Oxytocin is best known for its roles in sexual reproduction, in particular during and after childbirth...
    
    : Concentration is noted down in upper box; while dose is noted in lower box.
11. Urine analysis
12. Temperature record

Partogram is used for the active management of labour.

Advantages:

• Provides information on single sheet of paper at a glance
• No need to record labour events repeatedly
• Prediction of deviation from normal progress of labour
• Improvement in maternal morbidity
  Disease
  A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
  
  , perinatal morbidity and mortality
  Mortality
  Mortality is the condition of being mortal, or susceptible to death; the opposite of immortality.It may also refer to:* Mortality rate, a measure of the number of deaths in a given population...
  
  

A partogram is contained in the Perinatal Institute's "Birth notes" http://www.perinatal.nhs.uk/index.htm.

Use of a partogram in established labour is recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellance (NICE) http://www.nice.org.uk/ in the "Intrapartum Care" guideline.