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Obstetric; Injury Pelvic FloorPhase 4NCT05317364

Topical Vaginal Estrogen for Postpartum Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury Recovery

A Phase 4 study testing Estradiol 0.01% Vag Cream in people with Obstetric; Injury Pelvic Floor and Sexual Dysfunction, run by University of Alabama at Birmingham at 1 site in United States.

Terminated

Stopped early. The study ended before it was planned to and will not resume.

Official record
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Trial summary

Obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) cause significant morbidity and are well known risk factors for sexual dysfunction, urinary and anal incontinence. Postpartum and breastfeeding are relative hypoestrogenic states with risk factors for dyspareunia and vaginal atrophy. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older, women only
What is being tested?
Estradiol 0.01% Vag Cream
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
38 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
14 Jul 2022to 13 Feb 2026
Phase
Phase 4
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • women who sustained 3rd or 4th degree lacerations
  • aged 18 years or older
  • must be able to self apply vaginal cream

Who cannot join

  • Contraindications to intra-vaginal estrogen therapy (spontaneous DVT, stroke, hormone responsive breast cancer)
  • tobacco use
  • allergy to estradiol vaginal cream 0.01% or its constitutions
  • perineal wound breakdown or infection at 2-week Postpartum visit.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham

    Birmingham, Alabama, 35249

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Topical Vaginal Estrogen for Postpartum Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury Recovery: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) cause significant morbidity and are well known risk factors for sexual dysfunction, urinary and anal incontinence. Postpartum and breastfeeding are relative hypoestrogenic states with risk factors for dyspareunia and vaginal atrophy. Estrogen deficiency results in changes in the vaginal epithelium and poor tissue quality which results in poor wound healing. For postmenopausal women with vaginal atrophy undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse, early administration of topical vaginal E2 therapy resulted in improved markers of tissue quality. Currently, there are limited studies to reference for proposed treatment modalities to improve sexual function and incontinence in this population. In this proposed randomized, placebo-controlled trial, women who sustain OASIS will be recruited and randomized to begin intravaginal estrogen therapy or placebo at their 2-week follow-up visit after hospital discharge. Participants will complete validated questionnaires relating to sexual function and pelvic floor disorders (urinary and anal incontinence) symptom distress and impact. The primary outcome of this study will be sexual dysfunction symptom severity measured by the female sexual function index (FSFI) at 6 months postpartum. Secondary outcomes will be urinary and anal incontinence distress and impact measured by St. Mark's score and the fecal incontinence quality of life (FIQOL) questionnaire for anal incontinence and urogenital distress inventory (UDI-6) for urinary incontinence. The objective of this study is to determine if intra-vaginal estrogen therapy improves sexual function and incontinence symptom distress and impact for postpartum women after OASIS.

Read the detailed description

Obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) are known to cause significant morbidity and are known risk factors for sexual dysfunction, urinary and anal incontinence. Recent studies have reported that women with OASIS experience more problems with sexual dysfunction compared to their age and parity matched counterparts who do not have these tears. Despite this, little attention is paid to its prevalence or treatment in this population. These women are also at a 4-fold higher risk of anal incontinence. Additionally, significantly more women with OASIS report urinary incontinence 10 weeks after delivery and have significantly worse quality of life scores. Postpartum and breastfeeding are relative hypoestrogenic states with risk factors for dyspareunia and vaginal atrophy. Estrogen deficiency results in changes in the vaginal epithelium and poor tissue quality which results in poor wound healing. For postmenopausal women with vaginal atrophy undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse, early administration of topical vaginal E2 therapy resulted in improved markers of tissue quality.

Due to the significant morbidity associated with OASIS, it is critical to further explore treatment options to ultimately improve wound healing and outcomes in women who sustain OASIS tears in their postpartum recovery. Training in identification of OASIS and close follow up in specialized OASIS clinics have improved outcomes for these women. However, there are limited studies to reference for proposed treatment modalities to improve sexual function and incontinence in this population. Intra-vaginal estrogen therapy has proven to be safe and feasible in this population as demonstrated by no difference in the serum estrogen concentration in those women treated with intra-vaginal estrogen therapy for treatment of granulation tissue. Although evidence is limited, anecdotally, vaginal estrogen cream has been used to treat postpartum women with OASIS to treat vaginal atrophy and improve wound healing. This proposed research is critical to ultimately improving the postpartum recovery for women who sustain OASIS. This information will add to the growing literature aiming to optimize quality of life and improve care for these women.

In this proposed randomized, placebo-controlled trial, women who sustain OASIS will be recruited and randomized to begin intravaginal estrogen therapy or placebo at their 2-week follow-up visit, (upon establishing care at postpartum perineal clinic), after hospital discharge. Participants will complete validated questionnaires relating to sexual function and pelvic floor disorders (urinary and anal incontinence) symptom distress and impact at the 2-week postpartum visit (baseline). Participants will follow up at designated intervals (12-weeks and 6 months) and complete questionnaires with plan for total of 6-months intravaginal estrogen or placebo therapy. The primary outcome will be sexual dysfunction symptom severity measured by the female sexual function index (FSFI) at 6 months postpartum. Secondary outcomes will be urinary and anal incontinence distress and impact measured by St. Mark's and the fecal incontinence quality of life (FIQOL) scores for anal incontinence and urogenital distress inventory (UDI-6) for urinary incontinence. The objective of this study is to determine if intra-vaginal estrogen therapy improves sexual function and incontinence symptom distress and impact for postpartum women after OASIS. We hypothesize that topical vaginal estrogen cream therapy postpartum will improve sexual function scores thereby improving functional status and related quality of life.

Being tested
Estradiol 0.01% Vag Cream, Placebo vaginal cream
Keywords
Obstetric anal sphincter injury, sexual dysfunction, anal incontinence, urinary incontinence
Medical subject headings
Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological, Encopresis, Urinary Incontinence

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Estradiol 0.01% Vag CreamDrug

    Also called Estrace cream

    1g estradiol vaginal cream 0.01% or placebo will be administered nightly for 2 weeks then twice weekly to complete 6 months therapy

  • Placebo vaginal creamDrug

    Also called Versabase vaginal cream

    Placebo cream

Study groups in NCT05317364
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Topical vaginal estrogen groupActive comparatorEstradiol vaginal cream 0.01% 1g will be administered vaginally, initiated at 2 weeks postpartum and continued until 6 months postpartum. Beginning at 2 weeks postpartum, 1g estradiol vaginal cream 0.01% will be administered by participants nightly for 2 weeks then twice weekly to complete 6 months therapy
Receives: Drug: Estradiol 0.01% Vag Cream
Placebo groupPlacebo comparatorPlacebo cream, 1g will be administered vaginally, initiated at 2 weeks postpartum and continued until 6 months postpartum. Beginning at 2 weeks postpartum, 1g of placebo cream will be administered by participants nightly for 2 weeks then twice weekly to complete 6 months therapy.
Receives: Drug: Placebo vaginal cream

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. sexual dysfunction symptom severity

    measured by the female sexual function index (FSFI). Minimum score 1, maximum score 36. Higher scores indicate a higher level of sexual function.

    Measured: 6 months postpartum

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Urinary incontinence

    measured by urogenital distress inventory (UDI-6). Minimum score is 0, maximum score 75. Higher scores indicate a higher level of distress and impact on quality of life caused by urinary incontinence.

    Measured: 6 months postpartum

  2. Anal incontinence

    measured by St. Mark's and the fecal incontinence quality of life (FIQOL) scores. For St. Marks, minimum score 0, maximum 24. A higher score indicates a higher degree of incontinence and impact on lifestyle. For FIQOL, minimum score is 4, maximum score is 20. A lower score indicates a lower functional status and related quality of life.

    Measured: 6 months postpartum

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted7 Apr 2022
  2. Study start14 Jul 2022
  3. Primary completion13 Feb 2026
  4. Study completion13 Feb 2026

Why it stopped: Ran out of funding

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Participants are assigned to receive either topical vaginal estrogen or placebo cream and will continue this therapy for duration of study.
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator
Enrolment
38 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05317364
Sponsor's protocol ID
300008970
Status last verified
Feb 2026
First submitted
30 Mar 2022
Last updated
18 Feb 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Sayed Ahmed WA, Kishk EA, Farhan RI, Khamees RE. Female sexual function following different degrees of perineal tears. Int Urogynecol J. 2017 Jun;28(6):917-921. doi: 10.1007/s00192-016-3210-6. Epub 2016 Dec 6.

    PubMed 27924373
  • Andrews V, Thakar R, Sultan AH, Jones PW. Evaluation of postpartum perineal pain and dyspareunia--a prospective study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2008 Apr;137(2):152-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2007.06.005. Epub 2007 Aug 2.

    PubMed 17681663
  • Soerensen MM, Buntzen S, Bek KM, Laurberg S. Complete obstetric anal sphincter tear and risk of long-term fecal incontinence: a cohort study. Dis Colon Rectum. 2013 Aug;56(8):992-1001. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0b013e318299c209.

    PubMed 23838869
  • Stedenfeldt M, Pirhonen J, Blix E, Wilsgaard T, Vonen B, Oian P. Anal incontinence, urinary incontinence and sexual problems in primiparous women - a comparison between women with episiotomy only and women with episiotomy and obstetric anal sphincter injury. BMC Womens Health. 2014 Dec 16;14:157. doi: 10.1186/s12905-014-0157-y.

    PubMed 25511413
  • Scheer I, Andrews V, Thakar R, Sultan AH. Urinary incontinence after obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS)--is there a relationship? Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2008 Feb;19(2):179-83. doi: 10.1007/s00192-007-0431-8. Epub 2007 Aug 2.

    PubMed 17671753
  • Woodward AP, Matthews CA. Outcomes of revision perineoplasty for persistent postpartum dyspareunia. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2010 Mar;16(2):135-9. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0b013e3181cc8702.

    PubMed 22453161
  • Karp DR, Jean-Michel M, Johnston Y, Suciu G, Aguilar VC, Davila GW. A randomized clinical trial of the impact of local estrogen on postoperative tissue quality after vaginal reconstructive surgery. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2012 Jul-Aug;18(4):211-5. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0b013e31825e6401.

    PubMed 22777369
  • Ripperda CM, Maldonado PA, Acevedo JF, Keller PW, Akgul Y, Shelton JM, Word RA. Vaginal estrogen: a dual-edged sword in postoperative healing of the vaginal wall. Menopause. 2017 Jul;24(7):838-849. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000840.

    PubMed 28169915
  • Bochenska K, Kujawa S, Zhao H, Kenton K, Bulun SE, Lewicky-Gaupp C. Molecular Effects of Topical Estrogen on Vaginal Granulation Tissue in Postpartum Women. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Aug 1;27(8):521-526. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001076.

    PubMed 34261104
  • Brown O, Heliker BD, Geynisman-Tan J, Tavathia M, Mueller MG, Collins S, Kenton K, Lewicky-Gaupp C. Vaginal Electrical Stimulation for Postpartum Neuromuscular Recovery: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Nov 1;27(11):659-666. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001037.

    PubMed 34608032

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing Estradiol 0.01% Vag Cream in people with Obstetric; Injury Pelvic Floor and Sexual Dysfunction, run by University of Alabama at Birmingham at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study was stopped early (reason given: Ran out of funding). Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

sexual dysfunction symptom severity (time frame: 6 months postpartum). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05317364, which also lists 10 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Feb 2026.

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