Left Lateral Position vs Supine Position to Reduce Active Labor Duration (DLI-SP)

February 10, 2026 updated by: Ricardo A Gutierrez Ramirez, MD, MSc, FACOG, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras

Left Lateral Position Versus Supine Position in Reducing the Duration of the Active Phase of Labor: A Randomized, Single-Blind Clinical Trial

This randomized clinical trial aims to compare the effect of the left lateral decubitus position versus the supine position on the duration of the active phase of labor in nulliparous women. A total of 188 participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The intervention group will be placed in the left lateral decubitus position, while the control group will remain in the supine position. Both positions will be maintained for 30-minute intervals with 5-minute rest periods, continuing until delivery. The primary outcome is the duration of the active phase of labor. Secondary outcomes include rates of cesarean section, use of oxytocin and analgesics, and maternal and neonatal complications.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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.

Detailed Description

Globally, maternal positioning during labor is a key component of humanized childbirth. While the World Health Organization recommends allowing women to adopt comfortable positions, the supine position remains prevalent in many clinical settings for practitioner convenience. This study in Honduras seeks to generate local evidence on the impact of maternal position on labor progression. Nulliparous women at term (≥37 weeks) with a singleton pregnancy in cephalic presentation and in the active phase of labor (≥6 cm dilation) will be recruited from the labor and delivery unit of the Hospital Materno Infantil. After providing informed consent, participants will be randomized. The primary efficacy endpoint is the time from the onset of the active phase (or intervention start, if later) until delivery. The study hypothesizes that the left lateral position will significantly reduce active labor duration compared to the supine position, potentially reducing unnecessary surgical interventions and improving the childbirth experience.

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.
188

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 Locations

  • Honduras
    • Francisco Morazán Department
      • Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán Department, Honduras, 11101
        • Recruiting
        • Hospital Escuela
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Adriana P Mendoza Batres, MD
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kevin O Ponce Rodriguez, MD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Juan J Galeas Reyes, MD

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

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Signed and dated informed consent form.
  • Nulliparous woman.
  • Singleton pregnancy at ≥37 weeks of gestation.
  • Intact amniotic membranes.
  • Cephalic presentation.
  • In the active phase of labor (cervical dilation ≥6 cm).
  • Age ≥18 years.
  • No contraindication for vaginal delivery.
  • Possession of a mobile phone (for potential follow-up contact).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous uterine surgery.
  • Maternal condition preventing vaginal delivery.
  • Fetal anomaly.
  • Premature rupture of membranes.
  • Multiple pregnancy.
  • Fetal demise.
  • Uterine myomas.
  • Maternal comorbidities (e.g., chronic hypertension, diabetes mellitus type -1/2/gestational, hypothyroidism).
  • Anemia.
  • Age <18 years.
  • Preterm gestation (<37 weeks).

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

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: Left Lateral Decubitus Position
Participants will be placed in the left lateral decubitus position for periods of 30 minutes, interspersed with 5-minute rest periods. This cycle will continue throughout the active phase of labor until delivery.
Other: Left Lateral Decubitus Group
Participants will be placed in the left lateral decubitus position for periods of 30 minutes, interspersed with 5-minute rest periods. This cycle will continue throughout the active phase of labor until delivery.
Active Comparator: Supine Position Group
Participants will remain in the supine position for periods of 30 minutes, interspersed with 5-minute rest periods. This cycle will continue throughout the active phase of labor until delivery.
Other: Supine Position Group
Participants will remain in the supine position for periods of 30 minutes, interspersed with 5-minute rest periods. This cycle will continue throughout the active phase of labor until delivery.

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 the active phase of labor.
Time Frame: Time (in minutes) from the diagnosis of the active phase of labor (cervical dilation ≥6 cm) to delivery of the newborn. Within the first 24 hours after diagnosis of active phase.
The primary objective is to measure and compare the time taken to progress from the active phase to delivery between the two positioning groups.
Time (in minutes) from the diagnosis of the active phase of labor (cervical dilation ≥6 cm) to delivery of the newborn. Within the first 24 hours after diagnosis of active phase.

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
Incidence of Cesarean Delivery
Time Frame: From randomization until delivery (anticipated within 48 hours per participant).
The proportion of participants in each group who undergo a cesarean section.
From randomization until delivery (anticipated within 48 hours per participant).
Use of Oxytocin for labor augmentation/conduction.
Time Frame: From randomization until delivery.
The proportion of participants in each group who receive oxytocin infusion.
From randomization until delivery.
Incidence of maternal complications (e.g., perineal tears, hemorrhage, hypotension).
Time Frame: From randomization until hospital discharge (approximately 24-48 hours postpartum).
Composite of adverse maternal outcomes recorded during labor and the immediate postpartum period.
From randomization until hospital discharge (approximately 24-48 hours postpartum).
Neonatal status as measured by Apgar score.
Time Frame: At 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth.
The Apgar score (0-10) will be recorded and compared between groups.
At 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth.

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.
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras

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 (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 15, 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.
August 31, 2026

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.
September 30, 2026

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).
February 4, 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.
February 10, 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.
February 13, 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 13, 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 10, 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

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.
  • PGO-UNAH-49-1-2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

The research team acknowledges the importance of data sharing but has not yet established the necessary infrastructure, resources, and legal/ethical agreements required for the secure preparation, anonymization, and controlled sharing of individual participant data (IPD). Decisions regarding future sharing will depend on internal review, compliance with Honduran data protection regulations, and securing appropriate funding and technical support for long-term data stewardship.

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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