Normal Saline and Dextrose-Saline Infusion Comparison in the Duration of Active Phase in Nulliparous Women

Background: During labor, it is not unusual for women to have little or no nutrient intake, in spite of the fact that the demand for energy increases as a result of skeletal and smooth muscle contractions. Objectives: The objective of the study was to compare the effects of intravenous normal saline with dextrose-saline on the duration of active phase in nulliparous women. Patients and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 174 nulliparous women with gestational age of ≥ 36 weeks in the active phase of spontaneous labor were divided into two groups, receiving either normal saline (NS) or dextrose 5% in normal saline (D5NS) with a rate of 120 mL/hour. The primary outcome was the duration of active phase of labor in vaginally-delivered subjects. The secondary outcomes were the duration of second stage of labor, need to oxytocin, and neonate Apgar score. Data were analyzed with t-test and chi-squared test. Results: Of 174 objects enrolled, 150 women delivered vaginally and completed the study. There was a significant difference in the duration of active phase between the groups (NS: 270.20 ± 13.37 minutes; D5NS: 206.67 ± 11.72 minutes) (P < 0.001) and second stage of labor (NS: 45.20 ± 1.65 minutes; D5NS: 37.27 ± 1.73 minutes) (P < 0.001). No significant difference was observed in the need to oxytocin as well as in Apgar score between the groups. Conclusions: The administration of dextrose saline was associated with a shortened active phase and second stage of labor in vaginally delivered nulliparous women. Keywords: Dextrose; Hydration; Labor; Nulliparity