Use of an Antiemetic to Shorten the Length of Labor in Nulliparous Women, Exploring a Potential Role of an Old Drug

Women who will fulfill the study inclusion and exclusion criteria and agree to be included in the study will be randomized assigned to receive either an intravenous injection of 10mg metoclopramide (Group 1) or the same volume of placebo, i.e. 0.9% sodium chloride (Group2). Randomization will be achieved using computer generated randomization sequences. Allocation will be in 1:1 ratio. Record of group allocation will be maintained by a resident physician whose responsibility is randomization and drawing up the injection, but has no direct involvement in the intrapartum decision making.

After through history and physical examination, each participant will take the selected medication slowly IV over 2 min, the assigned medication will be repeated every two hours for a maximum of three doses.

Monitoring of fetal well-being and labor progress with Partographic representation will be performed.

Management of labor will be according the labor and delivery standard protocol, if labor dilatation will not progress appropriately, i.e. cervical dilatation rate of <1cm/hour, amniotomy will be performed if membranes are intact. Oxytocin augmentation will be considered after rupture of membranes only if the cervix remains unchanged on two consecutive pelvic examination conducted two hours apart. Oxytocin infusion will start with 5mIU/min and increase by 5mIU/min every 15min to achieve seven contractions in 15 min, the maximal rate of oxytocin being 30Miu/min.

The following parameters will be recorded for every patient: