Eating Medjool dates in late pregnancy to influence labor and delivery
Impact of Medjool Date Consumption on Labor and Delivery Outcomes
This will see if eating three Medjool dates daily from 34 weeks until just after delivery helps people go into labor naturally and affects labor outcomes.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 250 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | The Cleveland Clinic Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| Trial ID | NCT07058792 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial assigns eligible pregnant patients at 34 weeks to either eat three Medjool dates daily until delivery or receive standard care with no dates. The primary outcome is incidence of spontaneous labor versus need for induction, and secondary outcomes include length of labor, use and dose of oxytocin, quantitative blood loss, perinatal hemoglobin, and overall diet quality. Participants complete daily REDCap surveys about date intake, two 3-day electronic diet records using ASA24, and a point-of-care glucose check one hour after eating dates on the day of delivery. Enrollment is limited to English-speaking adults with singleton pregnancies who plan delivery at Cleveland Clinic and excludes those with significant medical or pregnancy comorbidities.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adult (≥18) English-speaking patients with a singleton pregnancy under 36 weeks who plan to deliver at Cleveland Clinic and have no major medical or pregnancy complications.
Not a fit: Patients with pre-existing medical conditions, gestational diabetes or hypertensive disorders, multifetal pregnancy, major fetal anomalies, planned cesarean or planned early induction, or those delivering outside Cleveland Clinic are unlikely to benefit or are excluded.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a simple, low-cost dietary approach to increase spontaneous labor and reduce the need for induction.
How similar studies have performed: Prior small randomized and observational studies suggest date consumption in late pregnancy may increase spontaneous labor and shorten labor length, but findings are inconsistent and not definitive.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Singleton pregnancy less than 36weeks 0 days gestational age * Age ≥18 years old * Has decision-making capacity and able to provide informed consent for research participation * Able to speak, read and understand English * Planned delivery at a Cleveland Clinic Institution Exclusion Criteria: * Pre-existing medical co-morbidities including hypertension, kidney disease, autoimmune conditions, diabetes * Comorbidities of pregnancy including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes * Abnormal genetic (aneuploidy) screening or diagnostic testing * Patients with pregnancies complicated by major fetal anomalies * Multifetal gestation * Delivery at an outside institution * Incomplete delivery data * Planned cesarean delivery * Planned induction of labor prior to 41 weeks
Where this trial is running
Cleveland, Ohio
- Cleveland Clinic — Cleveland, Ohio, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Stacey Ehrenberg, M.D. — The Cleveland Clinic
- Study coordinator: Easha Patel, M.D.
- Email: patele@ccf.org
- Phone: 216-695-5383
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.