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Poke and a Placebo

NCT04497220 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 30

Last updated 2026-01-08

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

To discover if a positive description of the procedure for an epidural can reduce the overall pain score associated with the procedure.

Conditions

  • Anesthesia

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Negative Connotation Langauge

The study intervention consists of two separate scripts read to the patient by the anesthesiologist performing their labor epidural. The control script includes language containing the wording "Poke and a burn" said prior to numbing medication for the epidural procedure. There will be no difference in the epidural placement, medications, or the rest of the script.

BEHAVIORAL

Positive Connotation Language

The study intervention consists of two separate scripts read to the patient by the anesthesiologist performing their labor epidural. The experimental script includes language containing the wording "this is numbing medication, which will make the rest of the procedure go easier" said prior to numbing medication for the epidural procedure. There will be no difference in the epidural placement, medications, or the rest of the script.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Aaron Berg, MD · University of Minnesota

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-07-12
Primary Completion
2026-12-31
Completion
2026-12-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04497220 on ClinicalTrials.gov