Skin to Muscle Depth for Administration of Intramuscular Medication
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Depth for Intramuscular Medication injection during Pregnancy to the Vastus Lateralis (DIMPL)
IRAS ID
356744
Contact name
R Crowson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN56917791
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 1 months, 27 days
Research summary
We are investigating the depth from skin to the muscle of the thigh (vastus lateralis) in the pregnant population using a simple, non-invasive ultrasound scan. This is important because we commonly need to give injections into this muscle for women who have just given birth to help the uterus contract. We suspect that at a certain weight (or calculated body mass index-BMI) of the patient, these injections which are designed to be injected into the muscle layer, might be only reaching the layer of fat tissue. This might result in the medication taking longer to take its desired effect. The result of this study might provide evidence for future studies to investigate different injection sites at a certain weight of the patient or considering the use of a different needle then what is commonly used. We would like to perform these scans within the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Lewisham Hospital. Patients on the labour ward who are at the beginning of the process of labour, or patients attending for planned caesarean sections (c-sections) will be eligible to take part. For those patients who consent to take part, they will have an ultrasound scan performed by a trained clinician at the mid point of the side of the side of the leg. The distance between the skin and the muscle of the thigh will be measured. The scanning process will take approximately 5 minutes to perform and it will not change any part of the patient's management on the day and no treatment will be given. As this is a simple scan to perform that can be done by the bedside this will not impact the flow of care of patients. We aim to recruit 100 participants and estimate this may take 8 weeks.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/WM/0200
Date of REC Opinion
21 Nov 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion