Acupuncture Research
The research articles outlined below can be used to promote the use of acupuncture
in pregnancy. Some like the articles on pelvic pain, nausea and vomiting and breech
presentations have been selected for their publication in medical and midwifery
journals readily accessible to medical professionals. Others such as the prebirth
and cervical ripening articles are included as they represent the research available
to date.
While clinical practice does not always reflect the methods used in research and
questions remain over the use of methods such as a placebo in acupuncture, or the
use of prescribed points rather than an individual diagnosis, western medical research
does offer opportunities to discuss and promote acupuncture to medical professionals
and the community. This is especially relevant in the area of obstetrics were safety
and evidenced based practice are primary concerns.
Acupressure to reduce labor pain
Hjelmstedt A, Shenoy ST, Stener-Victorin E, Lekander M, Bhat M, Balakumaran
L, Waldenström U. Acupressure to reduce labor pain. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2010
Nov;89(11):1453-9.
A randomized controlled trial within an Indian public hospital to evaluate the effect
of acupressure on pain levels when administered during the active phase of labor
with women having their first baby
Summary
213 women having their first baby were randomized to receive either
- Acupressure at SP6 (Sanyinjiao) on both legs during contractions over a 30-minute
period
- Light touch at SP6 (Sanyinjiao) on both legs during the same period of time
- Standard care
Their experience of labor pain was assessed by visual analog scale at baseline before
treatment, immediately after treatment, and at 30, 60 and 120 minutes after treatment.
Treatment Methods
The study was conducted in a large public hospital in India where epidural analgesia
is not an option in normal labor and where women cannot bring a companion. All women
in the study had uncomplicated pregnancies and been transferred to the labor room
with a cervical dilatation between 3 and 7 cm. The women in the acupuncture group
were treated with acupressure at SP6 (Sanyinjiao) on both legs simultaneously during
each contraction over a period of 30 minutes.
Conclusion
A reduction of in-labor pain was found in the acupressure group and was most noticeable
immediately after treatment. Retrospectively (2–24 hours after birth), the women
in the acupuncture group remembered having had less pain during labor and said they
coped better with their labor pain compared with the standard care Compared to the
women in the touch group, those in the acupuncture group remembered having coped
better with the pain. The authors concluded that acupressure seems to reduce pain
during the active phase of labor in women having their first baby and that that
acupressure may be most effective during the initial phase of labor.
Clinical Perspective
This study reinforces a previous study that also found the use of acupressure on
SP 6 (Sanyinjiao) reduced pain for women during active labour. While it is positive
that these studies are exploring the use of acupressure as pain relief for women,
it is very disheartening that they focus only on the use of a specific point. Clinical
experience suggests that there are a variety of acupressure points that a woman
may find useful. The reality of following up hundreds of women from clinical practice,
after having taught them nine acupressure to use, has been that very few that found
SP6 (Sanyinjiao) the most useful point for pain relief. It may be that there are
greater benefits than those found in the study through letting women and their support
people select the acupuncture points they find most suitable for the different stages
of labour.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20822474