New epidural technique could make labor safer and more effective
NCT ID NCT05990504
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested a modified epidural technique called dural puncture epidural for pain relief during labor. The method uses a small hole in the spinal lining to improve drug flow, combined with ultrasound guidance for accuracy. Researchers enrolled 200 healthy pregnant women to compare this technique with standard epidural, focusing on safety and effectiveness for both mother and baby.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dural puncture epidural block technique (a procedure using an epidural catheter and a small hole in the dura mater, guided by ultrasound)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this technique could provide safer and more effective pain relief during labor, with fewer side effects for both mother and baby.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed study with 200 participants, but it is not a large-scale trial. The results may not apply to all labor situations, and the technique still carries standard epidural risks like headache or infection.
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
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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200 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2023
- Finished
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Jan 2025
- Lead sponsor
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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
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20 to 45 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Class I or II; 2. Single healthy pregnancy; 3. Head showing first; 4. 37 to 41 weeks; 5. The labor process is active, and the cervix dilates\<5cm; 6. Require epidural labor analgesia; 7. Volunteer to participate in this study and sign an informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Presence of pregnancy diseases, such as pregnancy hypertension, pre eclampsia, pregnancy diabetes; 2. Contraindications to intraspinal analgesia: 1) Central nervous system diseases. 2) Infection or septicemia at the puncture site. 3) Coagulation dysfunction; 3. Known cases of fetal malformation or increased risk of cesarean section, such as a history of uterine rupture; 4. Persons with a history of mental illness, hysteria, epilepsy, etc. who cannot cooperate. 5. Patients with long-term use of opioids, steroids, and chronic pain.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Fujian Provincial Hospital
Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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