An observational study in Pregnancy Related, Epidural; Anesthesia, Headache and Labor Complication, sponsored by Hospices Civils de Lyon. Recruiting at 1 site in France. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 40 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-10.
Sponsored by Hospices Civils de Lyon · Observational
Freedom of movement and the ability to walk are crucial during the first stage of labor, potentially reducing labor duration, cesarean section risk, epidural analgesia use, and bladder catheterization. While the clinical effects of ambulation during labor remain controversial, there is a consensus on its positive impact on the birthing experience and satisfaction.
Epidural analgesia remains the gold standard for pain control during labor, with a utilization rate of 82% in France. Recent advancements in obstetric analgesia have allowed for lower doses of analgesics, often administered via patient-controlled analgesia, which maintains the potential for ambulation during labor. However, only a small number of maternity units in France offer this technique. The main barriers include organizational issues such as unsuitable facilities, lack of wireless telemetry, and potential risks such as falls and hypotension.
Significant changes in gait characteristics are observed throughout pregnancy, particularly during the third trimester, and are studied in laboratory settings using video capture and analysis. Gait during labor is influenced by pain, fetal progression, and anatomical changes in the pelvis. The presence of epidural analgesia, where local anesthetics likely affect neural transmission, may impact motor commands and sensory feedback, further altering gait characteristics. These biomechanical aspects of labor remain understudied.
Wearable inertial sensors show promise in maternal health monitoring by providing real-time data for motion and gait studies. However, their application has not been described or validated during labor, particularly in walking conditions. Continuous dynamic study of gait in these conditions could enable non-invasive, non-intrusive monitoring of analgesia effectiveness, fall risk prediction, and labor progression analysis.
The aim of this feasibility study is to validate the use of wearable inertial sensors to quantify movements and characterize gait during the first stage of labor, both with and without low-dose epidural analgesia.
762 studies on the registry are indexed under Headache; 134 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 70 is below the median of 139 across 168 observational studies indexed under Headache.
Browse Headache studies →Hospices Civils de Lyon is the lead sponsor of 1,866 studies on the registry; 448 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
at-term (>= 38 gestation weeks) women admitted to the maternity facility for labor and delivery and willing low dose epidural analgesia with walking option
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.
ASA physical status
The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Pregnant women in labor who benefit from walking epidural analgesia technique will be monitored using inertial wearable sensors beginning from the first stage of labor and up to delivery.
triaxial (x, y, z) velocity changes over time unit (dV/dt) = m/s2 (meter over square second)
gait patterns derived from accelerometer data measuring acceleration in three axes (x, y, z)
Time frame: during walking starting from the demand of the parturient to have an epidural up to delivery
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Nov 2024 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Jul 2027, 32 months after the start.
Of 55 non-industry observational studies under Headache, half reached primary completion within 21 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 96. This study's planned 32 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 63 studies reached it within 21 months; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 96.
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