Effect of valethamate bromide in accelerating labor: a prospective randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: This prospective randomized study aimed to investigate the effect of valethamate bromide on the length of labor. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 pregnant women, who were in the 37-41 weeks of gestation, and in the active phase of labor with cervical dilatation of 6-7 cm, were included in the study. Twenty-four pregnant women that underwent cesarean section and 33 pregnant women that required oxytocin were not included in the final statistical analysis. Finally, 71 nulliparous and 72 multiparous women were randomized to four groups according to whether they received valethamate bromide or not. Groups 1 and 2 consisted of 35 nulliparous and 37 multiparous women, respectively receiving 16 mg of valethamate bromide, whereas groups 3 and 4 consisted of 36 nulliparous and 35 multiparous women, respectively, not receiving any medication, and both groups were considered as the control group. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of mean maternal age and gestational age (p > 0.05). Evaluating the groups in terms of drug side effects such as maternal tachycardia, dry mouth, flushing, headache, nausea, and vomiting, no statistically significant difference was determined between the valethamate bromide groups (groups 1 and 2) and the controls (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the study groups (group 1 vs. 3 and groups 2 vs. 4) in terms of the time from the rupture of the membranes to the second stage of labor (p > 0.05). Contrarily, the median length of the second stage of labor was 35 (5-70) minutes and 42.5 (10-70) minutes for groups 1 and 3, respectively, in the nulliparous women and the difference between the groups was considered statistically significant (p = 0.045). For the multiparous women, the median length of the second stage of labor was 12 (5-30) minutes in group 2 and 15 (5-40) minutes in group 4 and no statistically significant difference was determined between the groups (p > 0.05). The median time from the rupture of the membranes to the delivery was 100 (10-235) minutes and 87.5 (20-395) minutes in groups 1 and 3, respectively, and 50 (25-365) minutes and 50 (10-390) minutes in groups 2 and 4, respectively. No statistically significant difference was determined between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Valethamate bromide significantly shortens the second stage of labor in nulliparous women.