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Trial registered on ANZCTR
Registration number
ACTRN12609000186257
Ethics application status
Approved
Date submitted
6/02/2009
Date registered
17/04/2009
Date last updated
5/07/2012
Type of registration
Retrospectively registered
Titles & IDs
Public title
Caesarean Section Following Induction of Labour in Nulliparous Women with an Unfavourable Cervix: a Comparison of Three Ripening Agents - PGE2 Gel, Single or Double Balloon Catheter
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Scientific title
Induction of labour in nulliparous women with an unfavourable cervix: A Randomised Controlled Trial of Prostaglandin E2 Intravaginal Gel, a Double Balloon Catheter (Atard Ripener Device (ARD)) and the Foley Catheter
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Universal Trial Number (UTN)
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Trial acronym
The Balloon Trial
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Linked study record
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Health condition
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied:
Induction of labour in nulliparous women with unfavourable cervix
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Condition category
Condition code
Reproductive Health and Childbirth
4506
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Fetal medicine and complications of pregnancy
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Intervention/exposure
Study type
Interventional
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Description of intervention(s) / exposure
1.Foley single balloon catheter inserted above the internal cervical os, and filled with 30mls of sterile water. The catheter is strapped to the inner aspect of one leg on slight tension. The catheter will be removed after 12 hours if spontaneous expulsion had not occurred.
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2.Double balloon catheter inserted through the cervix and the balloons either side of the cervix inflated with 80mls of water.
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Intervention code [1]
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Treatment: Drugs
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Intervention code [2]
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Treatment: Devices
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Comparator / control treatment
Prostaglandin E2 gel (dinoprostone, 2mg in 3g, ProstinE2, Pfizer Australia) placed into the posterior fornix of the vagina. This will be repeated six hourly up to a maximum of three doses unless the Bishop score is greater than six or regular painful contractions less than 5 minutes apart had commenced.
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Control group
Active
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Outcomes
Primary outcome [1]
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% with caesarean section.
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Assessment method [1]
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Timepoint [1]
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completion of labour
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Secondary outcome [1]
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Indications for caesarean section:
1. non-reassuring fetal status defined as fetal heart rate patterns (FHR) showing reduced baseline variability, late decelerations and/or complicated variable decelerations 2. failed induction defined as inability to rupture membranes after 3 doses of PGE2; or 12 hours of mechanical ripening; or cervical dilatation < 4cm after 8 hours of strong contractions.
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Assessment method [1]
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Timepoint [1]
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completion of labour
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Secondary outcome [2]
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time from induction to delivery
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Assessment method [2]
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Timepoint [2]
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completion of labour
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Secondary outcome [3]
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Adverse reactions to ripening agents:
1. Uterine hyperstimulation defined as >=5 contractions in 10 minutes for 2 consecutive 10-minute periods or a contraction lasting at least 2 minutes with or without changes in FHR patterns.
2. Inability to tolerate mechanical device defined as patient discomfort or inability to void leading to removal of mechanical device
3. Placental abruption
4. Postnatal infection
5. Hospital readmission during the puerperium
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Assessment method [3]
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Timepoint [3]
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discharge from hospital
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Secondary outcome [4]
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Patient satisfaction assessed using visual analogue scales (VAS):
1. Overall satisfaction with induction of labour
2. Pain on insertion of ripening device or gel
3. Pain during cervical ripening
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Assessment method [4]
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Timepoint [4]
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48 hours after birth
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Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
Nulliparous women.
Over 36 weeks’ gestation.
Singleton fetus in cephalic presentation. Intact membranes.
Modified Bishop score of 0 to 4
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Minimum age
16
Years
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Maximum age
No limit
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Sex
Females
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Can healthy volunteers participate?
No
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Key exclusion criteria
Previous uterine surgery
Low-lying placenta
Any active or purulent infection of the lower vaginal tract
Abnormal pre-induction fetal heart rate (FHR) tracing
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Study design
Purpose of the study
Treatment
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Allocation to intervention
Randomised controlled trial
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Procedure for enrolling a subject and allocating the treatment (allocation concealment procedures)
Women will be given information about the trial when the decision is made for induction of labour.
Informed consent will be obtained on admission to the delivery ward.
Treatment allocation - Each participant will select an opaque envelope from a selection of 12 envelopes in which the mode of induction is allocated
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Methods used to generate the sequence in which subjects will be randomised (sequence generation)
Computerised random number generation
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Masking / blinding
Open (masking not used)
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Who is / are masked / blinded?
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Intervention assignment
Parallel
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Other design features
Stratification for fetal fibronectin status (positive, negative, not done)
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Phase
Not Applicable
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Type of endpoint/s
Safety/efficacy
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Statistical methods / analysis
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Recruitment
Recruitment status
Completed
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Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
20/08/2001
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Actual
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Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
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Actual
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Date of last data collection
Anticipated
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Actual
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Sample size
Target
330
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Accrual to date
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Final
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Recruitment in Australia
Recruitment state(s)
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Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1]
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Charities/Societies/Foundations
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Name [1]
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Women and Infants Research Foundation
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Address [1]
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King Edward Memorial Hospital
374 Bagot Road
Subiaco
Western Australia 6008
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Country [1]
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Australia
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Primary sponsor type
University
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Name
The University of Western Australia
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Address
School of Women's and Infants' Health
M550
35 Stirling Highway
Crawley
Western Australia 6009
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Country
Australia
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Secondary sponsor category [1]
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Charities/Societies/Foundations
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Name [1]
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Women and Infants Research Foundation
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Address [1]
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King Edward Memorial Hospital
374 Bagot Road
Subiaco
Western Australia 6008
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Country [1]
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Australia
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Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Approved
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Ethics committee name [1]
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Womens and Childrens Health Service
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Ethics committee address [1]
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King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women GPO Box D184 PERTH WA 6840
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Ethics committee country [1]
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Australia
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Date submitted for ethics approval [1]
6519
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Approval date [1]
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17/05/2001
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Ethics approval number [1]
6519
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620/EW
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Summary
Brief summary
One quarter of labours are induced due to either maternal or fetal reasons in the Western World. Unfortunately, not all of these inductions are successful, and a failed induction of labour usually results in a caesarean section. The most useful predictor of success for an induction of labour is the assessment of the cervix (neck of womb) prior to the induction of labour. A firm, closed cervix (unfavourable cervix) increases the likelihood of a failed induction of labour and a caesarean section. A number of different techniques have been utilised to improve the success rates of induction of labour when the cervix is unfavourable. These include hormone infusions (oxytocin), intravaginal gels and tablets (prostaglandin E2, misoprostol) and mechanical techniques for ripening cervixes. With an unfavourable cervix, the caesarean section rate with hormone infusions is 50%. The use of intravaginal prostaglandin E2 reduces the caesarean section rate to 30%, and this is currently the routine technique for induction of labour when the cervix is unfavourable. Mechanical ripening of the cervix with balloon catheters has been investigated over the last 10 years using both single and double balloon catheters. The single balloon catheter has been found to be at least as effective as prostaglandin E2 vaginal gel. Several small clinical trials have suggested that a double balloon catheter may be more effective at cervical ripening and induction of labour, lowering the caesarean section rate for failed induction of labour. The specific aim of this project is to compare the standard induction of labour technique utilised for women with an unfavourable (closed, tight) cervix, which is intravaginal prostaglandin E2, with induction of labour with the single balloon Foley catheter and with a double balloon catheter. It is hypothesised that the double balloon catheter will be more effective at cervical ripening than prostaglandin E2 or the Foley single balloon catheter, reducing the number of caesarean sections for failed induction of labour without increasing the number of caesarean sections for non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns. In this trial, we plan to recruit 330 women who deliver at King Edward Memorial Hospital, and to randomise them to one of three groups Group 1: Standard induction of labour with vaginal prostaglandin E2 Group 2: Induction of labour with the single balloon Foley catheter Group 3: Induction of labour with the ARD double balloon catheter The potential significance of this trial is that we hope to prove that the new double balloon catheter technique will reduce the caesarean section rate in women who are having an induction of labour from 30% with the standard induction of labour technique, to 15% with the new technique. Reducing the caesarean rate has short, intermediate, and long-term benefits. The short-term benefits include reduced operative morbidity and shorter hospital stay. The intermediate benefits include improved maternal wellbeing during the first month post delivery by avoiding a major abdominal operation. The long term benefits include easier options with subsequent pregnancy as labour is less complicated if the mother has not had a previous caesarean section. Avoiding caesarean sections also reduces the incidence of low-lying placentas and placentas which grow into previous uterine scars which increases the risk of hysterectomy with subsequent pregnancies.
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Trial website
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Trial related presentations / publications
1.Induction of Labour with an Unfavourable Cervix: “The Balloon Trial”. Pennell CE, Jewell M, Doherty DA, Dickinson JE. Am J Obstetrics and Gynecology December 2003, 189 (6), Volume 189, A546. Abstract
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Public notes
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Contacts
Principal investigator
Name
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Address
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Country
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Phone
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Fax
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Email
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Contact person for public queries
Name
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Dr Craig Pennell
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Address
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School of Women’s and Infants’ Health (M550),
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley
Western Australia, 6009
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Country
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Australia
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Phone
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+61 8 9340 1330
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Fax
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+ 61 8 9381 3031
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Email
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[email protected]
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Contact person for scientific queries
Name
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Dr Craig Pennell
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Address
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School of Women’s and Infants’ Health (M550),
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley
Western Australia, 6009
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Country
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Australia
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Phone
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+61 8 9340 1330
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Fax
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+ 61 8 9381 3031
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Email
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[email protected]
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No information has been provided regarding IPD availability
What supporting documents are/will be available?
No Supporting Document Provided
Results publications and other study-related documents
Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.
Documents added automatically
No additional documents have been identified.
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