An inflatable birth canal dilator. A randomised pilot study

An inflatable device designed to achieve controlled dilatation of the pelvic floor soft tissues before the second stage of labour in women with epidural analgesia was tested in a randomised pilot study. Assisted vaginal delivery was required in 4/14 primiparous women (29%) after use of the dilator, and 8/16 controls (50%). The concept of improving the efficiency of pelvic floor dilatation and reducing the trauma associated with childbirth was found to be worth pursuing, and potential improvements in the design of the dilator were identified.