There is a simple, safe and inexpensive method for speeding delivery in women who are in prolonged labor: Add dextrose to the intravenous saline solution.
Prolonged labor can be dangerous for both mother and child, but there are a limited number of proven methods for speeding the process. Canadian researchers theorized that injecting dextrose, a simple sugar, during labor might improve muscle performance, leading to speedier delivery. Their study is in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
