Scientists pinpoint ideal painkiller dose for easier labor

NCT ID NCT06146842

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
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Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 13, 2026 · Last updated Jul 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests different doses of bupivacaine, a common painkiller, given through an epidural after a lidocaine test dose to women in labor. The goal is to find the dose that provides effective pain relief for 90% of participants. The study includes women with a single, full-term pregnancy who request an epidural for labor pain.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride
What this could lead to
If successful, this could identify the optimal bupivacaine dose for faster, more reliable pain relief during labor, improving comfort for mothers.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-phase dose-finding study, not a large effectiveness trial. Results may not apply to all labor situations or techniques.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 4

Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.

Participants

About 120 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Dec 2023

Expected to finish

Jun 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)

Sex

Female participants only

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Parturient with no major co-morbidities 2. Singleton, vertex gestation at term (37-42 weeks) 3. Less than or equal to 5 cm dilation 4. Desire to receive epidural labor analgesia 5. Numerical Rating Scale greater than or equal to 5 (NRS 0-10, where 0 = no pain, and 10 = worst pain imaginable), at time of epidural labor analgesia request. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Current or historical evidence of clinically significant disease or condition, including diseases of pregnancy (i.e., preeclampsia, gestational diabetes) 2. Any contraindication to the administration of an epidural technique (e.g., thrombocytopenia, antiplatelet meds). 3. History of hypersensitivity or idiosyncratic reaction to an amide local anesthetic agent 4. Evidence of anticipated fetal complications (i.e., fetal anomalies, IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction), oligohydramnios, polyhydramnios)

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Labor Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

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

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Brigham and Women's Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

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