The Effect of Chocolate Consumption During Labor on Second Stage Duration

February 1, 2026 updated by: Hillel Yaffe Medical Center
Childbirth is an energy-intensive physiological process, requiring sustained effort comparable in intensity to moderate physical activity. Studies suggest that providing an available energy source during labor, such as dextrose infusion or natural carbohydrate-rich foods such as dates, may shorten the duration of labor and improve cervical dilation without adversely affecting obstetric outcomes. The primary objective of the study is to examine whether giving chocolate during labor affects the duration of the second stage of labor, compared to a control group that will not receive a nutritional intervention. The study is a prospective, randomized, controlled trial that will be conducted in the delivery room of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center. Healthy pregnant women with a singleton pregnancy at ≥37 weeks gestational age, in spontaneous or induced labor, without diabetes (pre/gestational), will be recruited to participate. Participants in the intervention group will receive one serving of 50 grams of milk chocolate (cocoa content 25-30%, without filling or additives) at a cervical dilation of 6 cm or more (and not yet fully dilated). The mother will be asked to consume the serving gradually over 30 minutes. Milk chocolate was chosen because it is better tolerated compared to dark chocolate, has a more gentle profile of active ingredients (which can increase nausea and heartburn) and provides a source of available carbohydrates. The study will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health's procedure for medical experiments on humans, and will be conducted after approval by the Institutional Helsinki Committee.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

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Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

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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 (Estimated)

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.
180

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.
  • Not Applicable

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 Contact Backup

  • Name: Rinat Gabbay-Benziv, M.D
  • Phone Number: +972-4-7744514

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

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Gestational age ≥37 weeks
  2. Single fetus in cephalic presentation
  3. Spontaneous or induced labor in the active phase (dilation ≥ 5 cm).
  4. Normal assessment of the mother and fetus upon admission to the delivery room (normal indices, normal monitoring and biophysical profile)
  5. BMI 18-35 -

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Multiple pregnancies
  2. Gestational age <37 weeks
  3. Gestational or pre-gestational diabetes
  4. Significant underlying diseases
  5. Previous cesarean section/myomectomy
  6. Known significant fetal malformation
  7. Sensitivity to chocolate ingredients
  8. Lack of documentation of necessary information -

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: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

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.
Experimental: 50 g of milk chocolate cocoa content 25-30%
. Participants in the intervention group will receive one serving of 50 grams of milk chocolate (cocoa content 25-30%, without filling or additives) at a cervical dilation of 6 cm or more. The mother will be asked to consume the serving gradually over 30 minutes.
Other: 50 g of milk chocolate cocoa content 25-30%

Milk chocolate was chosen as it is better tolerated compared to dark chocolate, has a milder profile of active ingredients (which can increase nausea and heartburn) and provides a source of available carbohydrates.

A dose of 50 grams was chosen that provides 25-30 grams of simple carbohydrates - sufficient for a significant increase in blood glucose but low enough to prevent a sudden sugar load or nausea.

The intervention will be given at 6-9 cm dilation, towards the transition to the second phase - to allow the absorption of glucose and neurochemicals to be deafened at a time when the body needs increased energy and alertness. Giving it earlier may result in the effect of the chocolate wearing off before the second phase, and later - there will be no time for effective absorption.
No Intervention: control group - no intervention
Participants in the control group will receive routine care as is customary in the delivery room, without any proactive nutritional supplementation.

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
Duration of second stage of labor
Time Frame: From full cervical dilation to delivery
The duration of the second stage of labor, defined as the time in minutes from full cervical dulation (10cm) to delivery of the neonate.
From full cervical dilation to 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
Mode of delivery
Time Frame: At delivery
Mode of delivery categorized as spontanous vaginal delivery, operative vaginal delivery (vacuum), or cesarean delivery
At delivery
Maternal nausea or vomiting during labor
Time Frame: From intervention administration untill discharge from labor room
The occurrence of maternal nausea or vomiting during labor following the assigned intervention, as documented in the medical record
From intervention administration untill discharge from labor room
Umbilical cord blood glucose level
Time Frame: at delivery
Umbilical cord blood glucose concentration measured from umbelical blood collected immediately after delivery (when a cord blood sample is obtained per routine practice
at delivery
Maternal heart rate
Time Frame: During the second stage of labor
Maternal heart rate measured in beats per minute as recorded by continous intrapartum maternal monitorind
During the second stage of labor
Umbelical cord blood PH
Time Frame: At delivery
Umbelical cord blood PH measures immediatley after delivery
At delivery
Neonatal Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes
Time Frame: 1 and 5 minutes after delivery
The Apgar score is assessed at 1 and 5 minutes after delivery. The total score ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating better neonatal condition.
1 and 5 minutes 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.
Hillel Yaffe Medical Center

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 (Estimated)

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.
February 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
January 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
January 1, 2027

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).
January 21, 2026

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.
January 21, 2026

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.
January 29, 2026

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.
February 4, 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.
February 1, 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.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • 0200-25-HYMC

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

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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