Perioperative Dexmedetomidine to Reduce Post-procedure Grief Following Second-trimester Dilation and Evacuation

Part of paid clinical trials in Palo Alto, California.

Sponsor
Stanford University
Study ID
NCT07537894
Phase
PHASE2/PHASE3
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Abortion
  • Grief (Traumatic Grief and Existential Grief)
  • PTSD (Childbirth-Related)
  • Stillbirth

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
FEMALE
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Dexmedetomidine (IV) 0.5 mcg/kg — DRUG
    Infusion of dexmedetomidine 0.5ug/kg over 10 minutes at anesthesia induction
  • Placebo — DRUG
    Saline infusion at equal volume to intervention arm

Study Details

People seeking second-trimester dilation and evacuation (D\&E) procedures are often facing profoundly challenging circumstances, including desired pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies or demise, serious maternal health conditions, or changes in financial or relationship status. Although abortion regret is uncommon, the emotional burden surrounding these experiences is substantial: many patients experience significant grief and post-traumatic stress symptoms in the weeks to months following care. Perioperative interventions that decrease the body's stress response offer a promising opportunity to reduce downstream psychologic morbidity. Dexmedetomidine has been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms in other high-stress medical and surgical settings. The investigators are undertaking a randomized trial to evaluate whether perioperative administration of dexmedetomidine during second-trimester D\&E can reduce the frequency and severity of post-procedural grief, directly addressing an unmet need in patient-centered, trauma-informed abortion care.

Key Dates

Start date
Jul 31, 2026
Status verified
Apr 2026
Primary completion
Jul 31, 2027
Completion
Jul 31, 2028

Study Design

Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION

Arms

  • Experimental: Dexmedetomidine
    Infused 0.5ug/kg over 10 minutes at anesthesia induction
  • Placebo Comparator: Placebo
    Saline at equal volume to intervention group

Primary Outcome Measure

Reproductive Grief Screen [ Time Frame: 2 weeks post-procedure ]

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Stanford Health CarePalo AltoCalifornia94062-

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By research site
Stanford Health Care· Palo Alto, CA

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