Foley Bulb Traction for Cervical Ripening

May 31, 2013 updated by: Kelly S Gibson, MetroHealth Medical Center

Weighted Bag Versus Inner Thigh Taping for Cervical Ripening With a Foley Catheter Prior to an Induction of Labor

This study aims to determine what type of traction, weighted bag or inner thigh taping, on foley catheters for cervical ripening results in a greater cervical dilation and shorter length of labor.

The primary outcomes are post-ripening dilation of 3 cm or more and time to delivery.

The secondary outcomes are patient pain/comfort rating and method of delivery. The investigators hypothesize that the use a weighted bag will result in a 20% increase in post-ripening dilation of at least 3 cm and a shorter average length of labor.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Over the last 20 years the number of induced labors doubled so that over one in five births in 2003 was induced. In response to the rising need for cervical ripening the American College Obstetricians and Gynecologists have stated that both mechanical and prostaglandin ripening is acceptable and safe.

Prior to beginning an induction, the Bishop score (cervical dilation, effacement, station, consistency, and position) is assessed. With Bishop scores less than five, a cervical ripening agent is commonly used. The mechanical dilation with a foley catheter works by both a direct stretching of the lower uterine segment and cervix and a local inflammatory response that releases matrix metalloproteinases and prostaglandins. It is often chosen due to its lower cost, low incidence of systemic side effects, and low risk of hyperstimulation.

Compared to misoprostol a foley with oxytocin was more effective at induction in primiparous patients, more effective at improving the dilation, safe to use after misoprostol, and not associated with an increased risk of uterine rupture in a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). The foley was also shown to have a shorter induction time and less contractile abnormalities than prostaglandin E2 gel and no increased rate of uterine rupture in VBAC attempts. The use of extra-amniotic saline infusion with a foley catheter has been used to augment the mechanical stretching, however this did not decrease the induction time or improve the outcomes. Finally, a Cochrane Database review found that mechanical methods of cervical ripening were equally effective as prostaglandin agents.

Although the safety, efficacy, and side effects of foley catheter ripening have been compared with multiple other methods for cervical ripening, very few studies have compared different protocols for foley placement. One study showed that the use of oxytocin while the foley catheter was in place did not significantly shorten the time to delivery. Levy et al showed that a larger, 80 ml, balloon resulted in a greater post-ripening dilation and a higher number of deliveries in 24hours. No study to date has examined how the traction placed on the foley catheter affects the outcome.

Therefore, we propose doing a randomized controlled study in which the control is the current standard of care at MetroHealth Medical Center of placing a 500cc weight on the foley and placing it to gravity over the end of the bed. The comparison will be the method used at many institutions where the foley catheter is placed on gentle traction and taped to the inner thigh of the patient.

The primary outcomes measured will be a post-ripening dilation of 3cm or more and time to delivery. The secondary outcomes are patient pain/comfort rating and method of delivery.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

197

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44102
        • MetroHealth Medical Center

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 50 years (ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Single viable intrauterine pregnancy
  • Cephalic presentation
  • Bishop score <6
  • Need for induction of labor

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Multiple gestation
  • Bishop score >6
  • Spontaneous labor/regular contractions on admission
  • Rupture of membranes
  • Previous uterine scar
  • Grandmultiparity (greater than 5 deliveries)

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
  • Masking: NONE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: weighted bag
For the weighted bag, a 500cc saline bag will be taped to an empty Foley bag which will be attached to the cervical Foley catheter. This bag will then be placed to gravity over the end of the bed. The bed will be raised so that the bag does not touch the floor. The foley and the bag will be re-assessed every 30min by the nursing staff.
Other: weighted bag
For the weighted bag, a 500cc saline bag will be taped to an empty Foley bag which will be attached to the cervical Foley catheter. This bag will then be placed to gravity over the end of the bed. The bed will be raised so that the bag does not touch the floor. The foley and the bag will be re-assessed every 30min by the nursing staff.
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: leg taping
For the leg taping, the cervical foley catheter will be pulled to gentle traction and attached to the patient's inner thigh using a reclosable foley catheter fastener. The foley catheter and the traction will be assessed every 30min by the nursing staff. The tension will be renewed and the Foley re-adjusted if necessary at each check.
Other: leg taping
For the leg taping, the cervical foley catheter will be pulled to gentle traction and attached to the patient's inner thigh using a reclosable foley catheter fastener. The foley catheter and the traction will be assessed every 30min by the nursing staff. The tension will be renewed and the Foley re-adjusted if necessary at each check.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Time to Delivery
Time Frame: an average of 20 hours, up to 40 hours
an average of 20 hours, up to 40 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Patient Pain/Comfort Rating
Time Frame: an average of 20 hours, up to 40 hours
Using a visual analog pain scale, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the most severe pain possible, the patients were asked to assess their pain every hour. The highest pain score recorded while the Foley catheter was in place was used. The data are reported as the median and range.
an average of 20 hours, up to 40 hours
Time to Foley Expulsion
Time Frame: an average of 2 hours, up to 12 hours
time from Foley placement until it is spontaneously expulsed from the cervix
an average of 2 hours, up to 12 hours

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maternal Morbidities
Time Frame: 30 days after delivery
post-partum hemorrhage, clinical chorionamnionitis, endomyometritis, cervical laceration, second procedure, readmission, DVT
30 days after delivery

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

MetroHealth Medical Center

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

December 1, 2009

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

July 1, 2012

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

August 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 11, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 11, 2009

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

September 14, 2009

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

June 7, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 31, 2013

Last Verified

May 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • IRB09-00392

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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