Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Obstetric Lubricant Gel in Labor in Nulliparous and Primiparous Women: A Randomized Controlled Study

Aim: Our hypothesis was that lubricating gels used at the beginning of the active phase of labor could reduce the incidence of episiotomies and shorten the duration of labor. This study aims to investigate and confirm this theory with a randomized controlled trial. Material and Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted at obstetrics and gynecology department of a university hospital between January 2017 and April 2017. The study included 102 nulliparous and 93 primiparous singleton pregnancies. 50 primiparous women and 47 nulliparous patients were randomly assigned to the obstetric gel group. Obstetric gel was applied to participants in the study groups at the beginning of the active phase of labor. Outcomes were episiotomy rates and duration of labor. Results: Episiotomy rates were significantly lower in nulliparous obstetric gel group (36.1% and 63.6%, p=0.005). The duration of the active phase of the first and second stage of labor was significantly lower in the obstetrical gel groups compared to the control groups in both parities (150 ± 86 and 203. 5 ± 134, p=0.021, 28.8 ± 18.2 and 62.6 ± 53.8, p