Effect of spinning babies^® on labor progression and cesarean delivery rates: protocol for an open-label, two-arm,...

Cesarean section rates remain high worldwide, especially in Brazil, where they far exceed international recommendations. Arrest of labor progression is one of the main indications for intrapartum cesarean delivery and is frequently related to challenges in fetal descent, rotation, and positioning within the maternal pelvis. Maternal movement and positioning during labor are recognized strategies to support physiological labor progression. The Spinning Babies's® approach is a non-invasive method based on intentional movements and positioning, developed to facilitate fetal rotation and descent. Despite its widespread use in clinical practice, to date there are no randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of this approach, highlighting a relevant gap in scientific knowledge. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the Spinning Babies® approach on labor progression and obstetric outcomes compared with standard intrapartum care.

This is an open-label, single-center, parallel, two-arm randomized controlled trial conducted in a large public university maternity hospital in Southern Brazil. Nulliparous women aged 18 years or older, at term, with singleton pregnancies, cephalic fetal presentation, and fetuses located in the midpelvis during spontaneous labor will be included. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either the Spinning Babies® intervention or standard care. The intervention consists of applying Spinning Babies® positioning and movement exercises every two hours while the fetal presentation remains in the midpelvis. The primary outcome is total labor duration, measured from the diagnosis of active labor to birth. Secondary outcomes include measures of labor progression, use of obstetric interventions, mode of birth, and neonatal outcomes. Analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle.

This trial was designed to address the lack of randomized evidence regarding the Spinning Babies® approach, contributing to knowledge improvement of non-invasive strategies to support labor progression. By evaluating this intervention within the context of routine midwifery-led care, the study may inform evidence-based intrapartum practices and also may contribute to the reduction of unnecessary obstetric interventions such as cesarean sections.

Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (REBEC), identifier RBR-42pbbqq, prospectively registered.