Behavioral and Environmetal Factors and Time to Delivery

Completed · Phase 4

Conditions studied: Pregnancy

In brief

This study, conducted at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, CA, will determine if having vaginal intercourse in the last weeks of pregnancy decreases the risk of having a prolonged pregnancy. Pregnancies that continue beyond the due date may increase health risks for the mother and the baby. Although some believe that vaginal intercourse can help start labor in the last weeks of pregnancy, there is not proof that it works. Some studies showed that sexual intercourse helped and some that pregnancy lasted even longer for couples having sex. In addition to exploring the effect of sexual intercourse on time to delivery, this study will collect information that can be used in the future to predict when labor will naturally start and the risk for overdue pregnancies. Women 18 years of age and older in their first pregnancy who are carrying a single fetus with gestational age before 38 plus 6 weeks may be eligible for this study. Candidates must be living with their partner in a stable relationship. Participants are asked to have sexual intercourse about three times per week. They complete a diary in which they record the times they have intercourse and how they are feeling daily. The diaries are submitted by mail each week or at the doctor's or midwife's visit until delivery. The women have a pelvic exam and ultrasound and complete questionnaires about problems during pregnancy, overall well-being, attitude toward induction of labor, physical activity, body image during pregnancy, stress and social support, habits at home, and environmental conditions, such as weather.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00740506

Run by

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

People needed

510

Starts

2008-08-20

Expected to finish

2009-07-13

Last updated by the study team

2017-07-02

Who can join

Age: any. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may not qualify if…

• ART (IVF or ICSI)
• Maternal heart disease
• Gestational Diabetes, mellitus on insulin or pills
• Scheduled induction of labor or Cesarean section
• Breech presentation
• Placenta praevia
• Vaginal bleeding after 14 weeks of pregnancy
• Fetal growth restriction
• Known fetal anomalies (chromosomal or structural)
• Hospitalization after 14 weeks of pregnancy
• Can read and understand English
• Medical reasons for the patient not to have sex.
• Women whose husband/partner is currently deployed or will be deployed within the next four weeks or have any contra-indication for vaginal intercourse will be excluded.

Where it is running

• Naval Medical Center, San Diego — San Diego, California, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.