Study Comparing How Fast Water and Carbohydrate Sports Drink Leave the Stomach in Women During Early Labor

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how quickly the stomach empties in women during early labor, comparing those who have had epidural pain relief with those who have not. The study focuses on the difference in gastric emptying time between drinking water and a carbohydrate-based sports drink, aiming to understand how these drinks affect stomach emptying and hunger during labor. Participants are divided into two groups women in early labor without pain medication and women with epidural pain relief during early labor. Each participant will drink either 100 ml of water or 100 ml of a carbohydrate sports drink. Ultrasound will be used to measure the stomach volume over the next 60 minutes to determine the half-time of gastric emptying. Hunger levels will be recorded using a visual scale before drinking and at regular intervals for two hours. The study ends when participants consume food or drink, report a hunger level of 4 or higher out of 10, or after two hours. During the study, participants will undergo ultrasound assessments to monitor stomach emptying. They will also rate their hunger using a visual scale. Researchers will compare the half-time of gastric emptying between the drinks and between women with and without epidural analgesia. The main outcome is the gastric emptying half-time measured over 60 minutes, with hunger as a secondary outcome. The study is conducted in early labor and follows participants until the study endpoints are met.

Gastric Emptying of Water and Sports Drink in Labor