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 5cm. 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±1.38cm/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±129min, 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.