Clinical Research Directory

Scheduled Positioning With a Peanutball(SPP) on Labor Outcomes Among Primiparous Women Under Epidural Analgesia

Brief Summary The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether scheduled maternal position changes using a peanut birthing ball improve labor outcomes in low-risk, primiparous women receiving epidural analgesia during labor. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does scheduled maternal positioning with a peanut ball reduce the duration of the first and second stages of labor? Does scheduled maternal positioning with a peanut ball influence mode of delivery and maternal and neonatal outcomes? This non-invasive randomized controlled trial will be conducted at the Women's Wellness and Research Center in Qatar. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving scheduled maternal position changes using a peanut birthing ball or a control group receiving standard intrapartum care without peanut ball use. Researchers will compare outcomes between the two groups to determine whether structured positioning with a peanut ball improves labor progression and delivery outcomes in women receiving epidural analgesia. Participants in the intervention group will undergo scheduled position changes throughout labor using a peanut birthing ball, including left lateral, right lateral, semi-sitting, and Taylor positions, under the supervision of trained nursing and midwifery staff. Participants in the control group will receive routine intrapartum care following epidural analgesia without the use of a peanut ball or a structured positioning schedule. Primary maternal outcomes include duration of the first and second stages of labor, mode of delivery, estimated blood loss, postpartum hemorrhage, use of oxytocin augmentation, degree of perineal trauma, and hospitalization cost. Neonatal outcomes include Apgar scores at 5 and 10 minutes, NICU admission, birth-related injuries, and umbilical cord blood pH. Findings from this study are expected to support evidence-based intrapartum care practices and inform clinical protocols for women receiving epidural analgesia.

Two Previous Cesarean and Vaginal Birth Before and After Starting Training and Protocols

In 2015 ObGyn Dept of Santo Spirito Hospital in Pescara (Italy) started protocol for previous CS vaginal birth. In 2021 was started a protocol for training on obstetric emergencies and protocol on two previous cesarean was endorsed. Patients attending birth in Pescara with two previous from january 2016 to December 2020, and from january 2021 to december 2025 were collected. A different counseling approach was adopted from 2021. Women's acceptance of trial of labor and maternal and fetal outcomes were collected.

The Norwegian World Health Organisation Labour Care Guide Trial (NORWEL)

Appropriate and timely care during birth is critical to the survival and health of women and their babies. In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) presented the Labour Care Guide (LCG) as the new recommended tool for monitoring birth and assessing progression, replacing the WHO partograph. This evidence-based guide was designed to ensure improved quality and safety of care, and to avoid unnecessary interventions during birth. The LCG was developed to be used in all settings globally, but it has only been tested in health facilities in South America, Asia and Africa, while it has not been tested in high-income settings. Implementing a new guideline for monitoring birth is a comprehensive operation that will affect both the national economy, health systems, and individual patients; therefore, further research on the possible advantages is needed before national enrolment. Hence, the trial proposed in this application is crucial to form the required foundation of knowledge. The trial will be conducted in labour wards at ten hospitals, covering all health regions in Norway, and the established Norwegian Research Network for Clinical Studies in Obstetrics (NORBIRTH), with dedicated local principal investigators, will provide a robust research environment. This trial will test the effect of the LCG. Results from this trial will provide knowledge needed to determine a future implementation of the LCG in Norway.

Can the Use of a Next Generation Partograph Improve Neonatal Outcomes? (PICRINO)

The overall aim is to evaluate the impact of the use of two different guidelines for monitoring labor progress, the WHOs LCG versus standard care, on neonatal and maternal outcomes. The hypothesis is that the use of LCG will reduce adverse neonatal outcomes and decrease the number of intrapartum Cesarean sections compared with standard care. Secondly, other perinatal interventions and complications will be compared between the LCG and standard care groups, as well as economic considerations. This will be investigated using a multicenter, stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial design. In addition, the project will explore a series of quantitative and qualitative research questions to gain in-depth knowledge about experiences and perceptions about childbirth and the use of LCG. These research questions will be investigated using questionnaires, focus group and individual interviews with providers, partners and women that have gone through childbirth.