Adding magnesium sulfate to morphine to reduce urinary retention after cesarean section

Superiority Randomized Double-blind Controlled Trial of Epidural Magnesium Sulfate Addition Versus Placebo on the Occurrence of Acute Post-caesarean Urinary Retention

PHASE4 · CHU de Reims · NCT06442995

This study is testing if adding magnesium sulfate to morphine during epidural anesthesia can help reduce urinary retention in women after a cesarean section.

Quick facts

PhasePHASE4
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment290 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexFemale
SponsorCHU de Reims (other)
Locations1 site (Reims)
Trial IDNCT06442995 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial evaluates the effectiveness of adding magnesium sulfate to morphine in the epidural space to decrease the occurrence of acute urinary retention following cesarean sections. The study will involve 290 parturients who will be randomly assigned to receive either magnesium sulfate or a placebo along with morphine during their epidural anesthesia. The primary goal is to determine if this combination can reduce the incidence of urinary retention, which affects about 33% of women after cesarean delivery. Participants will be monitored post-surgery to assess urinary function and any adverse effects.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adult women undergoing scheduled or emergency cesarean sections with epidural anesthesia at the Reims University Hospital.

Not a fit: Patients who are minors, have severe renal insufficiency, or are undergoing general anesthesia will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly reduce the incidence of urinary retention in postpartum women, improving their recovery experience.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown promising results with magnesium sulfate in reducing postoperative complications, suggesting potential success for this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients who have undergone scheduled or emergency Caesarean section surgery under extended epidural anesthesia or combined epidural and spinal anesthesia at the Reims University Hospital.
* Patients who have just undergone caesarean section and have the epidural catheter in place in the post-interventional monitoring room (SSPI).
* Patients who agree to take part in the research and have signed the informed consent form
* Patients of legal age
* Patients affiliated to a social security scheme

Exclusion Criteria:

* Minor patients
* Patients protected by law
* Patients allergic to local anesthetics, morphine or magnesium sulfate
* Patients with severe renal insufficiency (GFR \< 30 ml/min)
* Patients with pre-pregnancy mictional disorders
* Patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of 4
* Patients undergoing caesarean section under general anaesthesia, after failure of perimedullary anaesthesia
* Patients with accidental intraoperative injury to the urinary tract
* Patients who have received intravenous magnesium sulfate in the 24 hours preceding cesarean section

Where this trial is running

Reims

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Urinary Retention

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.