Sodium bicarbonate is used by athletes to improve muscle contractility and decrease the risk of lactic acid build-up. A moderately sized efficacy study suggests that these proposed effects may be beneficial for nulliparous women in labor to maintain efficiency of labour contractions. Sodium bicarbonate may be useful for improving the contractility of the uterus, helping to prevent labour slowing (dystocia) and ultimately increasing the rate of spontaneous vaginal deliveries. Large scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are necessary to determine the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate for prevention of labour dystocia.
This is an unblinded, open-label, two-arm (treatment vs. usual care control), feasibility RCT evaluating oral sodium bicarbonate for the prevention of labour dystocia for nulliparous midwifery clients at two centres. This study will be conducted with the primary aim of determining feasibility for a full-scale RCT to answer the question: are nulliparous women in midwifery care who receive oral sodium bicarbonate as a hydration drink in labour more or less likely to fail to achieve spontaneous vaginal birth compared to women who drink fluids of their choice? This feasibility study will take place at 4 hospitals in Ontario (Mississauga Hospital, Credit Valley Hospital, Markham Stouffville Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre) and will aim to recruit as many participants as possible during an 8-month period.
