Postpartum pain trial halted after just 3 women enrolled
NCT ID NCT05972681
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether injecting bupivacaine with epinephrine into a vaginal tear after childbirth could reduce pain once the epidural wears off. Only 3 women participated before the trial was stopped early. Because of the tiny sample, no meaningful results were obtained.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- bupivacaine with epinephrine
- What this could lead to
- If it had worked, this could point toward a way to reduce postpartum pain after vaginal tear repair, potentially lowering opioid use and improving recovery.
- What could go wrong
- The trial was terminated early with only 3 participants, so no reliable conclusions can be drawn. It is unclear if the treatment is effective or safe in this setting.
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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Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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3 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Apr 2025
- Finished
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Oct 2025
- 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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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: * Healthy with a singleton pregnancy * English or Spanish speaking * Ongoing functioning epidural throughout the laceration repair * Multiparous or nulliparous * Ability to consent for themselves Exclusion Criteria: * Underwent an operative vaginal delivery and whose vaginal delivery was complicated by a postpartum hemorrhage * Have multiple gestations * Complaints of non-functioning epidural * Allergic to bupivacaine and/or epinephrine * Received an epidural top-off (bolus of local anesthetic injected into the epidural catheter) \< 3 hours from the perineal repair * Experienced extreme pain at time of study consent (pain scale score \> 3 on 0-10 scale)
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Montefiore Medical Center
The Bronx, New York, 10467, United States
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