Anything that claims to reduce labour time is of major interest to us and our dear readers.
That’s why this study stopped us in our tracks.
Researchers in Canada have found that labour can be dramatically reduced by a simple sugar rush.
The study showed that giving pregnant mothers an intravenous drip of glucose during induction can cut labour time by more than an hour and 15 minutes
And boy does every one of those minutes count when you’re in the thick of it!
The idea is that glucose supplementation can improve muscle performance which can speed up labour, especially in first time mums.
Normally mums-to-be are induced if their baby is overdue, if their labour is prolonged or if there is a risk to the health of mum or baby.
The Mirror reports today that the study involved 190 expectant mums who were given either a normal hydration solution containing saline (salt and water) or a solution containing glucose (sugar) as well as salt and water.
The IV drip was given throughout the birthing process and the times were recorded.
Dr Josianne Pare at the Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada said there was a big difference:
“We found that the median duration of labour was 76 minutes shorter in the group of women receiving glucose. Glucose supplementation therefore significantly reduces the total length of labour without increasing the rate of complication”
More research is being done on larger groups before the findings of the study can be applied clinically.
The findings will now be presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting, in Quebec.
We can’t wait to see the results.
