Phase 3
Completed N=58,747
Azithromycin-Prevention in Labor Use Study (A-PLUS)
Maternal Death · Maternal Infections Affecting Fetus or Newborn · Neonatal Sepsis · Maternal Sepsis During Labor
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03871491 ↗
Enrolled (actual)
58,747
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Oct 2024
Primary outcomePrimary: Maternal Death or Sepsis Within 6 Weeks (42 Days) Post-delivery in Intervention vs. Placebo Group. — 227; 344 Participants — p=<0.001
◆ Published Evidence
Emerging
11citations · ~4 / year
Prevention of maternal and neonatal death/infections with a single oral dose of azithromycin in women in labour in low-income and middle-income countries (A-PLUS): a study protocol for a multinational, randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Summary
Maternal and neonatal infections are among the most frequent causes of maternal and neonatal deaths, and current antibiotic strategies have not been effective in preventing many of these deaths. Recently, a randomized clinical trial conducted in a single site in The Gambia showed that treatment with oral dose of 2 g azithromycin vs. placebo for all women in labor reduced selected maternal and neonatal infections. However, it is unknown if this therapy reduces maternal and neonatal sepsis and mortality. The A-PLUS trial includes two primary hypotheses, a maternal hypothesis and a neonatal hypothesis. First, a single, prophylactic intrapartum oral dose of 2 g azithromycin given to women in labor will reduce maternal death or sepsis. Second, a single, prophylactic intrapartum oral dose of 2 g azithromycin given to women in labor will reduce intrapartum/neonatal death or sepsis.
Linked Publications (5)
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Prevention of maternal and neonatal death/infections with a single oral dose of azithromycin in women in labour in low-income and middle-income countries (A-PLUS): a study protocol for a multinational, randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial.
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Effectiveness of intrapartum azithromycin to prevent infections in planned vaginal births in low-income and middle-income countries: a post-hoc analysis of data from a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
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Cost-effectiveness of intrapartum azithromycin to prevent maternal infection, sepsis, or death in low-income and middle-income countries: a modelling analysis of data from a randomised, multicentre, placebo-controlled trial.
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Neurodevelopmental Pediatric Follow-Up After the Azithromycin Prevention in Labor Use Study.
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Intrapartum oral azithromycin for maternal infection prophylaxis and the risk of postpartum hemorrhage: A secondary analysis of the A-PLUS trial.
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Maternal Death or Sepsis Within 6 Weeks (42 Days) Post-delivery in Intervention vs. Placebo Group. |
227; 344 | <0.001 sig |
| PRIMARY Intrapartum/Neonatal Death or Sepsis Within 4 Weeks (28 Days) Post-delivery in Intervention vs. Placebo Group |
1,540; 1,526 | 0.56 |
| SECONDARY Maternal Sepsis |
219; 339 | — |
| SECONDARY Maternal Death Due to Sepsis |
4; 1 | — |
| SECONDARY Chorioamnionitis |
5; 8 | — |
| SECONDARY Endometritis |
191; 294 | — |
| SECONDARY Cesarean Wound Infection |
77; 134 | — |
| SECONDARY Perineal Wound Infection |
149; 188 | — |
| SECONDARY Other Infections |
149; 217 | — |
| SECONDARY Use of Subsequent Maternal Antibiotic Therapy |
7,937; 8,180 | — |
| SECONDARY Maternal Initial Hospital Length of Stay |
1.4; 1.4 | — |
| SECONDARY Maternal Readmissions |
124; 192 | — |
| SECONDARY Maternal Admission to Special Care Units |
116; 130 | — |
| SECONDARY Maternal Unscheduled Visit for Care |
1,397; 1,790 | — |
| SECONDARY Maternal GI Symptoms |
119; 110 | — |
| SECONDARY Neonatal Sepsis |
1,433; 1,407 | — |
| SECONDARY Neonatal Death Due to Sepsis |
64; 62 | — |
| SECONDARY Other Neonatal Infections |
763; 798 | — |
| SECONDARY Neonatal Initial Hospital Length of Stay |
1.5; 1.5 | — |
| SECONDARY Neonatal Readmissions |
553; 518 | — |
| SECONDARY Neonatal Admission to Special Care Units |
951; 927 | — |
| SECONDARY Neonatal Unscheduled Visit for Care |
3,223; 3,366 | — |
| SECONDARY Pyloric Stenosis Within 42 Days of Delivery |
8; 3 | — |
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Pregnant women in labor ≥28 weeks Gestational Age (GA) (by best estimate) with a pregnancy with one or more live fetuses who plan to deliver vaginally in a facility.
- Admitted to health facility with clear plan for spontaneous or induced delivery.
- Live fetus must be confirmed via a fetal heart rate by Doptone prior to randomization.
- ≥18 years of age or minors 14-17 years of age in countries where married or pregnant minors (or their authorized representatives) are legally permitted to give consent.
- Have provided written informed consent.
- Pregnant women in labor ≥28 weeks GA (by best estimate) with a pregnancy with one or more live fetuses who plan to deliver vaginally in a facility.
- Admitted to health facility with clear plan for spontaneous or induced delivery.
- Live fetus must be confirmed via presence of a fetal heart rate prior to randomization.
- ≥18 years of age or minors 14-17 years of age in countries where married or pregnant minors (or their authorized representatives) are legally permitted to give consent.
- Have provided written informed consent [Note: written informed consent may be obtained during antenatal care, but verbal re-confirmation may be needed (per local regulations) at the time of randomization].
Exclusion Criteria
- Non-emancipated minors (as per local regulations)
- Evidence of chorioamnionitis or other infection requiring antibiotic therapy at time of eligibility (however, women given single prophylactic antibiotics with no plans to continue after delivery should not be excluded).
- Arrhythmia or known history of cardiomyopathy.
- Allergy to azithromycin or other macrolides that is self-reported or documented in the medical record.
- Any use of azithromycin, erythromycin, or other macrolide in the 3 days or less prior to randomization.
- Plan for cesarean delivery prior to randomization.
- Preterm labor undergoing management with no immediate plan to proceed to delivery.
- Advanced stage of labor (>6 cm or 10 cm cervical dilation per local standards) and pushing or too distressed to understand, confirm, or give informed consent regardless of cervical dilation.
- Are not capable of giving consent due to other health problems such as obstetric emergencies (for example, antepartum hemorrhage) or mental disorder.
- Any other medical conditions that may be considered a contraindication per the judgment of the site investigator.
- Previous randomization in the trial.
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03871491) and the linked publication. Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication. Informational only — not medical advice.