Initiating contractions of the gravid uterus through electro-acupuncture.
This is a report on 35 patients on whom electro-acupuncture was tested as a method of initiating contractions. In all cases the membranes remained intact up to the end of the electro-acupuncture. Before the electro-acupuncture none of the patients had experienced any labor pains. The subjective reports were checked by planimetric evaluation of the tocogram curves. A statistical comparison of the values before and after electro-acupuncture was undertaken. Thirty-one cases evidenced certain increase in the intensity of labor contraction frequency (p less than 0.01). Amniotomy was performed immediately after the electro-acupuncture on 31 cases. In a control group likewise consisting of 35 gravidae with intact membranes, no electro-acupuncture was performed. In this control group no significant increase in labor activity could be observed. If amniotomy was performed on gravidae with contractions induced by electro-acupuncture, there was no latent period to be observed. Through avoidance of a lengthened latent period after amniotomy, fetal jeopardy during labor induction can be reduced.
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced; D011247:Pregnancy; D014590:Uterine Contraction