Buttock groove may help doctors find spine for epidurals

NCT ID NCT05983029

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looked at whether the groove between the buttocks (intergluteal cleft) can help doctors find the midline of the spine in pregnant women, compared to using ultrasound. 100 women at 37+ weeks of pregnancy were included. The goal was to see how far this landmark is from the actual spine midline, which could make epidurals easier and faster.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to

If successful, this could give doctors a simple, non-ultrasound way to locate the spine midline for epidurals in labor.

What could go wrong

This is a small, completed observational study (100 people) that only measures distance, not actual procedure success. Results may not apply to all patients.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond

    London, London, SE1 9RT, United Kingdom