title: Acupuncture for pain relief during childbirth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are few studies on acupuncture in childbirth despite the generally established analgesic effect of acupuncture treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analgesic effect of acupuncture during childbirth was assessed by comparing the need for other pain treatments (epidural analgesia using bupivacaine, pudendal nerve block, intramuscular meperidine, nitrous oxide/oxygen, intracutaneous sterile water injections) in 90 women given acupuncture (acupuncture group) with that in 90 women not given acupuncture (control group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  52 women (58%) in the acupuncture group and 13 (14%) in the control group managed their deliveries without further pain treatment (p < 0.001). The groups were similar with respect to age, pariety, duration of delivery, use of oxytocine and incidence of Caesarean section. Acupuncture treatment was found to have no major side effects, and 85 women (94%) given acupuncture reported that they would reconsider acupuncture in future deliveries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture reduces the need for other methods of analgesia in childbirth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, University Hospitals, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ternov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Löfberg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Algotsson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akeson
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D008614:Meperidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059408:Pain Management; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008614:Meperidine; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D002045:Bupivacaine