Training healthcare providers on cervical exams during labor and delivery

Effects of Systematic Cervical Exam Training on Labor and Delivery Care

Not applicable Interventional Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NCT04421768

This study is testing whether training healthcare providers with a special simulator can make cervical exams during labor more accurate and consistent for expectant mothers.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment1125 (estimated)
SexAll
SponsorWake Forest University Health Sciences Academic / other
Locations1 site (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
Trial IDNCT04421768 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study focuses on improving the accuracy and consistency of cervical exams performed during labor by training healthcare providers using a high-fidelity cervical exam simulator. All physicians, nurses, and nurse midwives in the Labor and Delivery unit will undergo this training, and the study will compare data on cervical exams before and after the training is implemented. The goal is to reduce the number of cervical exams and enhance the reliability of assessments made by different providers.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are pregnant women receiving care in the Labor and Delivery unit at Wake Forest Baptist Birth Center.

Not a fit: Patients with conditions such as placenta previa or vasa previa, which contraindicate cervical exams, may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this training could lead to improved labor management and better outcomes for pregnant women.

How similar studies have performed: While similar training approaches have been explored, this specific intervention using high-fidelity simulators is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

Healthcare providers:

• physicians, midwives, and labor and delivery nurses working on the Labor and Delivery unit within the Wake Forest Baptist Birth Center

Patients:

• any pregnant women receiving care on the Labor and Delivery unit of Wake Forest Baptist Birth Center

Exclusion Criteria:

Healthcare providers:

• none

Patients:

* placenta previa
* vasa previa
* any other contraindication to cervical exam

Where this trial is running

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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.
Conditions Delivery ProblemCervixPregnancyPregnancy Relatedvaginal deliverylabor cervical examlabor and delivery
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.