4.4 Future Research
Currently, a large evidence gap exists regarding the administration of
IV fluids during labour and their effects on maternal and neonatal
outcomes. Reporting of common practices for IV fluids administration in
labour is limited. Addressing this knowledge gap is important for
designing future prospective studies that accurately reflect
interventions used in clinical practice. Whilst RCTs may be helpful in
exploring maternal and neonatal outcomes, without knowing what ‘usual
practice’ is, the tested interventions may not reflect current practice,
limiting any knowledge gain.
Inadequate documentation of maternal fluid balance is a key barrier to
rigorous prospective research in this area due to the imprecise
recording of the exposure variable. Considering the potential impact of
IV fluids on labour, including disruptions to electrolyte balance and
uterine contractility, events such as IV fluid boluses and interruptions
in IV infusion may hold considerable importance. Adopting practices that
enhance the documentation of maternal fluid balance, such as integrating
implementation science methods and frameworks to support health service
engagement, identify workflow logistics and promote behaviour
change,(34-36) could prove advantageous in future research .