Labor PainNCT07863687
Effect of Dance on Labor Pain in Primiparous Women
A study testing Labor dance in people with Labor Pain, run by Medipol University at 7 sites in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of labor dance on labor pain in primiparous women. Primiparous women admitted for vaginal birth to seven hospitals of a university affiliated private hospital group in Istanbul, Turkiye, were randomly assigned to a labor dance group or a routine care group. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Labor Pain
- What is being tested?
- Labor dance
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 7 sitesTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 30 Jan 2020to 28 Feb 2021
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Primiparous women admitted for vaginal birth
- 34 to 40 weeks of gestation
- Singleton pregnancy with the fetus in vertex presentation
- No known maternal or fetal anomaly or risk condition
- No prior knowledge of labor dance
- Willing to participate
Who cannot join
- Withdrawal from the study
- Maternal or fetal complication related to the dance
- Indication for cesarean birth
- Need for labor induction
- Need for pharmacological analgesia
Trial locations and contacts
7 sites in 1 country.
7 sites in 1 country
Turkey (Türkiye)7 sites
Bagcilar Medipol Mega University Hospital
Istanbul
Camlica Medipol University Hospital
Istanbul
Esenler Medipol University Hospital
Istanbul
Kosuyolu Istanbul Medipol Hospital
Istanbul
Ozel Nisa Hastanesi
Istanbul
Pendik Medipol University Hospital
Istanbul
Sefakoy Medipol University Hospital
Istanbul
About this study
Official title: Determination of the Effects of Dance on the Management of Labor Pain in Primiparous Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of labor dance on labor pain in primiparous women. Primiparous women admitted for vaginal birth to seven hospitals of a university affiliated private hospital group in Istanbul, Turkiye, were randomly assigned to a labor dance group or a routine care group. Women in the dance group danced to music of their choice at 30 minute intervals from 4 cm cervical dilatation until full dilatation, using movements intended to widen the pelvic diameters, in addition to routine intrapartum care. Labor pain was measured with a Visual Analogue Scale at 4 cm dilatation and repeatedly until full dilatation. Cervical dilatation and the duration of the active phase of labor were recorded.
Read the detailed description
The study was approved by the Istanbul Medipol University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee on 13 November 2019 (decision no. 966). Because recruitment at the single initial center was slow during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, an amendment approved on 20 July 2020 extended the study to six additional hospitals of the same group. Allocation followed a computer generated simple randomization list (random.org).
- Conditions
- Labor Pain
- Being tested
- Labor dance
- Keywords
- dance, primiparity, nonpharmacological pain management, midwifery, music
- Medical subject headings
- Labor Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Labor danceBehavioural
Warm up and stretching movements followed by movements intended to widen the pelvic diameters: pelvic tilt, small squat, squat, wide leg squat, clockwise and counterclockwise hip circles, sliding, and right and left leg forward hip rotation, performed to music chosen by the woman. Sessions were repeated every 30 minutes from 4 cm cervical dilatation until full dilatation, and each chosen movement was repeated for one minute.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Labor dance | Experimental | Women were taught the dance movements after admission. From 4 cm cervical dilatation until full dilatation, they danced to self selected music every 30 minutes, repeating each chosen movement for one minute, in addition to routine intrapartum care. Receives: Behavioral: Labor dance |
| Routine care | No intervention | Routine intrapartum care of the hospital only. Pain and cervical dilatation were assessed at the same time points as in the intervention group. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Labor pain intensity
Pain intensity measured with a Visual Analogue Scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain). Higher scores indicate more severe pain.
Measured: At 4 cm cervical dilatation (baseline) and at the end of each hour until full cervical dilatation, up to 4 hours
Secondary outcomes (2)
Time to full cervical dilatation
Time from 4 cm to 10 cm cervical dilatation, in hours, assessed by hourly vaginal examination.
Measured: Assessed at the end of each hour from 4 cm cervical dilatation until full cervical dilatation, up to 4 hours
Duration of the active phase of labor
Duration of the active phase of labor, in minutes.
Measured: From 4 cm cervical dilatation until birth
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Oct 2026
- Study start30 Jan 2020
- Primary completion28 Feb 2021
- Study completion28 Feb 2021
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Labor PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Medipol UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Medipol University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Şerife Çınar, Medipol University
- Investigators
- Şerife Çınar, PhD, Principal investigator, Medipol University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07863687
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- LaborDancePainPrimipara2019
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 7 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Deidentified individual participant data underlying the published results will be available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Determination of the Effects of Dance on the Management of Labor Pain in Primiparous Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07863687
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- LaborDancePainPrimipara2019
- Conditions
- Labor Pain
- Keywords
- dance, primiparity, nonpharmacological pain management, midwifery, music
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Medipol UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
- Study start
- 30 Jan 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 28 Feb 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 28 Feb 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 7 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of labor dance on labor pain in primiparous women. Primiparous women admitted for vaginal birth to seven hospitals of a university affiliated private hospital group in Istanbul, Turkiye, were randomly assigned to a labor dance group or a routine care group. Women in the dance group danced to music of their choice at 30 minute intervals from 4 cm cervical dilatation until full dilatation, using movements intended to widen the pelvic diameters, in addition to routine intrapartum care. Labor pain was measured with a Visual Analogue Scale at 4 cm dilatation and repeatedly until full dilatation. Cervical dilatation and the duration of the active phase of labor were recorded.
Detailed description
The study was approved by the Istanbul Medipol University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee on 13 November 2019 (decision no. 966). Because recruitment at the single initial center was slow during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, an amendment approved on 20 July 2020 extended the study to six additional hospitals of the same group. Allocation followed a computer generated simple randomization list (random.org).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Labor dance | Experimental | Behavioral: Labor danceWomen were taught the dance movements after admission. From 4 cm cervical dilatation until full dilatation, they danced to self selected music every 30 minutes, repeating each chosen movement for one minute, in addition to routine intrapartum care. |
| Routine care | No intervention | –Routine intrapartum care of the hospital only. Pain and cervical dilatation were assessed at the same time points as in the intervention group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Primiparous women admitted for vaginal birth
- 34 to 40 weeks of gestation
- Singleton pregnancy with the fetus in vertex presentation
- No known maternal or fetal anomaly or risk condition
- No prior knowledge of labor dance
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Withdrawal from the study
- Maternal or fetal complication related to the dance
- Indication for cesarean birth
- Need for labor induction
- Need for pharmacological analgesia
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Labor danceWarm up and stretching movements followed by movements intended to widen the pelvic diameters: pelvic tilt, small squat, squat, wide leg squat, clockwise and counterclockwise hip circles, sliding, and right and left leg forward hip rotation, performed to music chosen by the woman. Sessions were repeated every 30 minutes from 4 cm cervical dilatation until full dilatation, and each chosen movement was repeated for one minute. | Behavioural | Labor dance |
Primary outcome
Labor pain intensity
Time frame: At 4 cm cervical dilatation (baseline) and at the end of each hour until full cervical dilatation, up to 4 hours
Pain intensity measured with a Visual Analogue Scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain). Higher scores indicate more severe pain.
2 secondary outcomes
Time to full cervical dilatation
Time frame: Assessed at the end of each hour from 4 cm cervical dilatation until full cervical dilatation, up to 4 hours
Duration of the active phase of labor
Time frame: From 4 cm cervical dilatation until birth
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Deidentified individual participant data underlying the published results will be available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Related trials for Labor Pain
Recruiting
The Effect Of Partner-Assısted Rebozo Technıque On Labor Paın And Satısfactıon In Prımary Pregnant Women
Labor Pains
RecruitingPhase 4
Analgesic Efficacy and Obstetric Effects of Tramadol, Paracetamol and Placebo in Active Labor
Labor Pain
Not yet recruiting
Pre-Examination Reflexology for Anxiety and Pain During Pelvic Examination
Anxiety
Recruiting
Pain Neuroscience-Based Education for Labor Pain in Pregnant Women
Labor Pain and Anxiety
Recruiting
The Effect of Breast Milk, 10% and 20% Dextrose on Pain and Physiological Variables During Heel Puncture in Infants
Newborn Care, Pain Management
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Şerife Çınar, PhD principal investigator
Medipol University
7 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Labor dance in people with Labor Pain, run by Medipol University at 7 sites in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 7 sites in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Labor pain intensity (time frame: At 4 cm cervical dilatation (baseline) and at the end of each hour until full cervical dilatation, up to 4 hours). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Oct 2026.