Reducing emergency caesarean birth for fetal distress in women with small or poorly grown infants using Sildenafil Citrate – The RidStress 2 Randomised Controlled Trial

Aim
RidStress2 is a consumer-informed, double-blind, Phase 3 randomised controlled trial (RCT) in 300 women with SGA or suboptimally grown fetuses at term (Population) to test if SC (Intervention) vs placebo (Comparator) (i) reduces the relative risk of emergency CS for fetal distress by 33% (Primary Outcome) (ii) improves childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years; and (iii) is cost-effective.

Progress
Recruitment of 282 participants across four south-east Queensland hospitals is now complete. Data analysis is in progress, as well as neurodevelopmental outcome follow up for the children of participants.

Research Team: Dr Tegan Triggs, Kate Jarrett, Bianca Ryan, Helen Kay, Jasmine Wood, Gabby Rowsell, Elyse Fitzpatrick, Assoc Prof Sama Low-Choy & Dr Shannyn Rosser

Publications
Triggs T, Badawi N, Crawford K, Liley H, Lehner C, Nugent R, et al. RidStress 2 randomised controlled trial protocol: an Australian phase III clinical trial of intrapartum sildenafil citrate or placebo to reduce emergency caesarean birth for fetal distress in women with small or suboptimally grown infants at term (≥37 weeks). BMJ Open. 2024;14(9):e082945.