title: When should women be recruited to intrapartum research projects? A retrospective review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review and describe the impact of varied recruitment processes in two intrapartum studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of one prospective cohort study and one pilot randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Australian tertiary referral hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with term, cephalic singleton pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recruitment processes in one observational and one interventional study examining the management of occipitoposterior position in labor were reviewed. Data concerning recruitment and serial attrition for these studies were collected. The value of allowing consent in early labor in addition to consent in the antenatal period was assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relative proportions of women participating compared with the numbers approached and recruited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One in 48 women approached about the observational study agreed to participate and then had a fetus in occipitoposterior position. One in 33 women in the intervention study were eventually randomized. Women approached in early labor were more likely to agree to participate (77% vs. 58%; p < 0.0001), more likely to have an ultrasound scan during labor (40% vs. 15%; p < 0.0001) and more likely to be randomized to intervention (4% vs. 1.5%; p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intrapartum research is associated with low rates of recruitment and these rates may be improved by asking women to provide informed consent during labor rather than the antenatal period. It is important to consider ways to facilitate randomized controlled trials involving women in labor to advance evidence-based care in this environment. This should include prospective research that seeks to define the best approach to patient recruitment.
authors: RPA Women and Babies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Hala
authors: H
authors: Phipps
authors: Bradley
authors: B
authors: de Vries
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Kuah
authors: Jon A
authors: JA
authors: Hyett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D018579:Patient Selection; D011247:Pregnancy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Intrapartum research; cohort study; ethics; informed consent; intervention study; occipitoposterior position; timing of consent