Spontaneous Labour Onset, Vaginal Intercourse at Term
Conditions
Keywords
vaginal intercourse, labour, term pregnancy
Brief summary
Vaginal intercourse to promote labour onset is biologically plausible. Oxytocin release during female orgasm, cervix mechanical stimulation and the effect of semen's prostaglandins are possible involved mechanisms. The investigators propose to evaluate the effect of vaginal intercourse on spontaneous labour at term.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALVaginal intercourse
vaginal intercourse at least twice a week
Sponsors
Hospital de Santa Maria, Portugal
Study design
Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Term pregnancy * Singleton pregnancy * Cephalic presentation * No previous cesarean section * Irrelevant obstetric history * Surveiled pregnancy without complications
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Spontaneous labour onset at term | Spontaneous labour onset between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy | Spontaneous labour was considered to be established when there were regular contractions and at least 3cm of cervical dilation. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gestational age at delivery | Gestational age at delivery (between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy) | — |
| Mode of delivery | Mode of delivery (vaginal or cesarean delivery) up to 42 weeks of pregnancy | Route of delivery - vaginally or cesarean |
| Interval between recruitment and delivery | number of days between patients study recruitment and delivery (maximum period of 28 days - between 38 and 41/0-6 weeks/days of pregnancy) | number of days between patients study recruitment and delivery (patients were included in the study at 38 weeks of pregnancy and followed until delivery; if spontaneous labour did not occur labour induction was scheduled during the 41th week of pregnancy) |
Countries
Portugal
Outcome results
None listed