Postpartum Perineal Pain After Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries

April 7, 2026 updated by: Feyce M. Peralta, MD, MS, Northwestern University

Postpartum Perineal Pain After Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) encompass both third and fourth degree perineal tears. These tears can have a significant impact on women's quality of life in the short and long term. One of the most distressing immediate complications of this severe perineal injury is perineal pain. Women can also experience postpartum depression, dyspareunia, and altered sexual function after OASIS.

This is a randomized controlled trial to study the effects of three interventions (placebo, low dose intravenous ketamine plus epidural morphine, or epidural morphine alone) on acute pain after OASIS.

The objective of this study is to assess the incidence of perineal pain in postpartum patients 1 week after obstetric anal sphincter injuries.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
67

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
        • Northwestern University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age >18 years of age
  • English-speaking
  • Vaginal delivery (spontaneous or assisted)
  • A full-term fetus (>37 weeks' gestation)
  • OASIS as assessed by obstetrical provider
  • Functional epidural analgesia at time of delivery
  • Patient amenable to follow-up in specialty perineal clinic within the first week postpartum

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous pelvic surgery
  • History of chronic pelvic pain
  • History of recurrent urinary tract infections
  • Women with known malformations of their urinary tract
  • True allergies to ketamine and/or morphine
  • Preeclampsia or hypertensive disorder at the time of delivery
  • Obstructive sleep apnea

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Epidural saline + IV saline
Sterile saline via the epidural catheter. Sterile saline via intravenous catheter.
Drug: Epidural saline + IV saline
Sterile saline injection in the epidural catheter and in the intravenous catheter
Active Comparator: Epidural morphine 3 mg + IV saline
3 milligrams morphine via the epidural catheter. Sterile saline via intravenous catheter.
Drug: Epidural morphine 3 mg + IV saline
Morphine 3 milligrams injection in the epidural catheter and sterile normal saline intravenous catheter
Active Comparator: Epidural morphine 3 mg + IV ketamine 0.3 mg/kg
3 milligrams morphine via the epidural catheter. Ketamine 0.3 milligrams per kilogram via intravenous catheter.
Drug: Epidural morphine 3 mg + IV ketamine 0.3 mg/kg
Morphine 3 milligrams injection in the epidural catheter and 0.3 milligrams per kilogram weight infused in the intravenous catheter

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Perineal Pain in Postpartum Patients 1 Week After Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries.
Time Frame: 1 week after vaginal delivery
Perineal pain 1 week after vaginal delivery measured using the VRS (verbal rating scale). The scale is scored 0 no pain (good)and 10 highest pain (poor).
1 week after vaginal delivery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Perineal Pain
Time Frame: Day 1 after delivery
Perineal pain day 1 after delivery using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ). This is a 15 question survey describing pain on a scale. The scale is scored 0 no pain and 3 severe pain.Combined score 0 low and 45 high pain.
Day 1 after delivery
Perineal Pain
Time Frame: 1 week after delivery
Perineal pain day 7 after delivery using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ). This is a 15 question survey describing pain on a scale. The scale is scored 0 no pain and 3 severe pain.Combined score 0 low and 45 high pain.
1 week after delivery
Perineal Pain
Time Frame: 6 weeks after delivery
Perineal pain 6 weeks after delivery using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ). This is a 15 question survey describing pain on a scale. The scale is scored 0 no pain and 3 severe pain.Combined score 0 low and 45 high pain.
6 weeks after delivery
Perineal Pain
Time Frame: 3 months after delivery
Perineal pain 3 months after delivery using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ). This is a 15 question survey describing pain on a scale. The scale is scored 0 no pain and 3 severe pain.Combined score 0 low and 45 high pain.
3 months after delivery
Assessment of Maternal-infant Bonding
Time Frame: 1 week after delivery
Assessment of maternal infant bonding using the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) questionnaire. 19 total question survey which is scored 1= low attachment and 5 = high attachment for each question. Total scores 19 low attachment (poor) to 95 high maternal infant attachment (good).
1 week after delivery
Presence of Postpartum Depression
Time Frame: 1 week after delivery
Presence of postpartum depression 7 days after delivery determined by using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale questionnaire. The questionnaire uses 10 questions scored 0 low to 3 high for a total score of 0 low- 30 high. High scores indicate potential for depression.
1 week after delivery
Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-ST Short Form) Current Pain
Time Frame: 1 week after delivery
Part 1 of the 7 question survey (Current Pain). 0 no pain -10 worst pain you can imagine scale.
1 week after delivery
Presence of Postpartum Depression
Time Frame: 6 weeks after delivery
Presence of postpartum depression 6 weeks after delivery determined by using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale questionnaire. The questionnaire uses 10 questions scored 0 low to 3 high for a total score of 0 low 30 high. High scores indicate potential for depression.
6 weeks after delivery
Assessment of Maternal-infant Bonding
Time Frame: 6 weeks after delivery
Assessment of maternal infant bonding using the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) questionnaire. 19 total question survey which is scored 1= low attachment and 5 = high attachment for each question. Total scores 19 low attachment to 95 high maternal infant attachment.
6 weeks after delivery
Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-ST Short Form) Current Pain
Time Frame: 6 weeks after delivery
Part 1 of the 7 question survey (Current Pain). 0 no pain -10 worst pain you can imagine scale.
6 weeks after delivery
Assessment of Maternal-infant Bonding
Time Frame: 3 months after delivery
Assessment of maternal infant bonding using the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) questionnaire. 19 total question survey which is scored 1= low attachment and 5 = high attachment for each question. Total scores 19 low attachment to 95 high maternal infant attachment.
3 months after delivery
Female Sexual Function
Time Frame: 3 months after delivery
Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire (FSFI).This is a 19 question survey which is scored 2 low sexual function to 36 high sexual function.
3 months after delivery
Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-ST Short Form) Current Pain
Time Frame: 3 months after delivery
Part 1 of the 7 question survey (Current Pain). 0 no pain -10 worst pain you can imagine scale.
3 months after delivery
Promis 29 Profile (Physical Function Question Only)
Time Frame: 3 month
29 question recovery survey, 28 questions scored 1 low to 5 high and one question scored 0-10 for pain. Low combined total score (poor) 28 High combine 150 total score (good).The PROMIS-29 questionnaire is then scored by summing raw item responses (1-5 scale) for seven domains (four questions each) and a 0-10 pain rating, then converting these to T-scores (mean=50, SD=10). A higher T-score indicates higher physical function.
3 month
Promis 29 Profile (Anxiety Function Question Only)
Time Frame: 3 month
29 question recovery survey, 28 questions scored 1 low to 5 high and one question scored 0-10 for pain. Low combined total score (poor) 28 High combine 150 total score (good).The PROMIS-29 questionnaire is then scored by summing raw item responses (1-5 scale) for seven domains (four questions each) and a 0-10 anxiety rating, then converting these to T-scores (mean=50, SD=10). A higher T-score indicates higher anxiety.
3 month
Promis 29 Profile (Depressive Symptoms Question Only)
Time Frame: 3 month
29 question recovery survey, 28 questions scored 1 low to 5 high and one question scored 0-10 for pain. Low combined total score (poor) 28 High combine 150 total score (good).The PROMIS-29 questionnaire is then scored by summing raw item responses (1-5 scale) for seven domains (four questions each) and a 0-10 pain rating, then converting these to T-scores (mean=50, SD=10). A higher T-score indicates higher depression.
3 month
Promis 29 Profile (Fatigue Question Only)
Time Frame: 3 month
29 question recovery survey, 28 questions scored 1 low to 5 high and one question scored 0-10 for pain. Low combined total score (poor) 28 High combine 150 total score (good).The PROMIS-29 questionnaire is then scored by summing raw item responses (1-5 scale) for seven domains (four questions each) and a 0-10 pain rating, then converting these to T-scores (mean=50, SD=10). A higher T-score indicates higher level of fatigue.
3 month
Promis 29 Profile (Sleep Disturbance Question Only)
Time Frame: 3 month
29 question recovery survey, 28 questions scored 1 low to 5 high and one question scored 0-10 for pain. Low combined total score (poor) 28 High combine 150 total score (good).The PROMIS-29 questionnaire is then scored by summing raw item responses (1-5 scale) for seven domains (four questions each) and a 0-10 pain rating, then converting these to T-scores (mean=50, SD=10). A higher T-score indicates higher level of sleep disturbance.
3 month
Promis 29 Profile (Social Function Question Only)
Time Frame: 3 month
29 question recovery survey, 28 questions scored 1 low to 5 high and one question scored 0-10 for pain. Low combined total score (poor) 28 High combine 150 total score (good).The PROMIS-29 questionnaire is then scored by summing raw item responses (1-5 scale) for seven domains (four questions each) and a 0-10 pain rating, then converting these to T-scores (mean=50, SD=10). A higher T-score indicates higher level of social function.
3 month
Promis 29 Profile (Pain Interference Question Only)
Time Frame: 3 month
29 question recovery survey, 28 questions scored 1 low to 5 high and one question scored 0-10 for pain. Low combined total score (poor) 28 High combine 150 total score (good).The PROMIS-29 questionnaire is then scored by summing raw item responses (1-5 scale) for seven domains (four questions each) and a 0-10 pain rating, then converting these to T-scores (mean=50, SD=10). A higher T-score indicates a higher level of pain interference.
3 month
Perineal Pain
Time Frame: 1 year after delivery
Perineal pain 1 year after vaginal delivery measured using the VRS (verbal rating scale). The scale is scored 0 no pain (good) and 10 highest pain (poor).
1 year after delivery

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Northwestern University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Feyce Peralta, MD, Northwestern University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 27, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 20, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 20, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 2, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 12, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 20, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 24, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 7, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • STU00206016

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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