EASE: The Materna Prep Pivotal Study

This study is designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Materna Prep Device in reducing pelvic muscle injuries during vaginal delivery. Subjects are randomized to Materna Prep Device or Standard of Care without use of the Materna Prep Device Intervention with the Materna Prep Device is expected to be a one-time use of approximately 30-90 minutes during the 1st stage of labor. Subject participation in the study is targeted to be 12 months from the time of the use of the device during delivery.

Vaginal delivery is a major risk factor for pelvic floor dysfunction. Clinical aspects of pelvic floor dysfunction include pelvic organ prolapse, sexual dysfunction, and fecal and urinary incontinence. Trauma to the pelvic structures occurs as the fetal head passes through the vaginal canal, especially with acute distension at the time of crowning - the exiting of the fetal head. The Materna Prep Device is a single-use, semi-automated dilator used during the first phase of labor in order to prepare the vaginal canal for vaginal delivery. By slowly pre-stretching the vagina and surrounding pelvic tissues during labor, the device is essentially dictating the strain rate of the tissue during labor. In previous feasibility studies, the elastic recovery of the tissue has been shown to be on the order of several hours, allowing the benefits of pre-stretching the vagina and surrounding pelvic tissues to last throughout labor. The device is intended to be removed prior to the initiation of the second stage of labor, for delivery to occur unobstructed. The target patient population for this study is nulliparous women entering the first phase of labor and scheduled for vaginal delivery with an epidural.