Low-Cost Glucose Supplementation Safely Reduces Length of Induced Labor

As muscle performance is improved by glucose supplementation, researchers tested whether adding it to the intravenous hydration solution could accelerate labor.

Prolonged labor can be harmful to maternal and fetal health. Few medical interventions are known to shorten labor duration.

Because muscle performance is known to be improved by glucose supplementation, the researchers tested whether adding glucose to the intravenous hydration solution women receive during labor could accelerate labor.

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‘Glucose supplementation significantly reduces the total length of labor without increasing the rate of complication.’

In a study to be presented in the oral concurrent session, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting™, researchers with the Université de Sherbrooke in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada will present their findings in a study titled, 'Reduction of total labor length through the addition of parenteral dextrose solution in induction of labor in nulliparous: results of DEXTRONS prospective randomized controlled trial'.

The study investigated the use of glucose to shorten induced labor in nulliparous (first time giving birth). The primary outcome studied was the total length of active labor.

200 pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive either a standard hydration solution containing salt and water or a solution containing glucose, salt and water.

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Childbirth is one of the most marvelous and memorable segment in a woman's life that calls for celebration. Knowledge about labor and delivery can ease unnecessary fear, ensuring a unique experience.

Josianne Pare, with the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Sherbrooke and the presenter of the research at the SMFM annual meeting, explained, "We found that the median duration of labor was 76 minutes shorter in the group of women receiving glucose. There was no difference in the mode of delivery (cesarean section, forceps, etc.), or the neonatal well-being measures."

Pare continued, "Glucose supplementation therefore significantly reduces the total length of labor without increasing the rate of complication. This is great news for women experiencing induced labor."

Pain Management During Labor
The labor pain or pain of childbirth is considered as the one of the most severe types of pain. It was in the mid- nineteenth century the pharmacologic management of labor pain was introduced.

The researchers concluded that, given the low-cost and safety of this intervention, glucose should be the solute of choice during labor.

Source-Eurekalert

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