Use of an antispasmodic (rociverine) to shorten the length of labor: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE:
To determine the effectiveness of rociverine, an antispasmodic drug, for reducing the duration of labor among nulliparous women managed according to a standard intrapartum protocol.
DESIGN:
Randomized controlled trial.
SETTING:
An academic tertiary care hospital.
POPULATION:
Nulliparae in spontaneous active labor, with cervical dilatation between 3 and 5 cm.
METHODS:
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either an intramuscular injection of 20mg rociverine (n=55) or the same volume of saline (n=56).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:
Cervical dilatation rate (from administration of study drug to full dilatation).
RESULTS:
Laboring women who received rociverine had faster cervical dilatation than those assigned to placebo (2.43 ± 1.84 vs. 1.85 ± 1.38 cm/hour, p=0.03). The time interval from treatment administration to full cervical dilatation was shorter in the rociverine group than in the placebo group (220 ± 125 vs. 278 ± 129 min, p=0.04). No difference was found in any other obstetric outcome. No adverse effects have been recorded from rociverine administration.
CONCLUSIONS:
Intrapartum administration of rociverine to nulliparous women may help to reduce the duration of the first stage of labor in a context of uniform labor management.