Does acupuncture used in iparous women reduce time from prelabour rupture of membranes at term to active phase of labour? A randomised controlled trial

Selmer-Olsen, T.

Lydersen, S.

Morkved, S.

2007

86(12)

1447-1452

RCT

Acu Versus No Treatment

Acupuncture

No Treatment Control

RCT

Restricted Modalities, Acupuncture Only

Semi-Individualized Acupuncture Protocol

TCM Acupuncture Style

Traditional Diagnosis Based Point Selection

Women's Health

Labor, Induced

Labor, Obstetric

BACKGROUND: To assess if acupuncture influences the onset of labour and the need for induction after prelabour rupture of membranes (PROM) in iparous women. Further, to investigate a possible effect of acupuncture on the woman's wellbeing. METHODS: In a randomised controlled trial (RCT), 106 iparous women with PROM were allocated to an acupuncture group (AG) or a control group (CG). The outcome measures were time from PROM to onset of active phase of labour, and rate of inductions if labour was absent after 2 days. The women's self-reported wellbeing was registered on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups regarding time from PROM to active phase (median times in AG versus CG: 15 versus 20.5 h, p=0.34). Additionally, there was no difference between the 2 groups in the need for induction. We found no significant differences in self-reported wellbeing, but the women receiving acupuncture considered their treatment to be more positive than the controls (p=0.003). No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture treatment used in iparas after PROM showed no significant effect in reducing time to active labour or in reducing rate of inductions. There was no change in wellbeing as a result of acupuncture, but it was considered positive to receive this kind of treatment while waiting for labour to begin

Labor, Obstetric

>1/WK

106

2 Days