title: Effect of acupuncture on nausea of pregnancy: a randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare acupuncture with sham (placebo) acupuncture for treatment of nausea of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a subject- and observer-masked, randomized, controlled trial in the maternity unit at Exeter Hospital, we gave 55 women between 6 and 10 weeks' gestation genuine, traditional-style acupuncture or sham treatment with a cocktail stick on three or four occasions over 3 weeks. The main outcome measure was nausea score, as determined by subject report on a visual analogue scale in a daily diary. Anxiety and depression also were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nausea scores decreased from a median of 85.5 (interquartile range 71.25-89.75) to 47.5 (interquartile range 29.25-69.5) in the acupuncture group and from 87.0 (interquartile range 73.0-90.0) to 48.0 (interquartile range 14.0-80.0) in the sham treatment group. There was strong evidence of a time effect (P <.001) but no evidence of a group effect (P =.9) or a group-time interaction (P =.8). Similarly, there was evidence of time effects in scores for anxiety and depression but no group differences. The study had a power of 95% to detect significant differences in nausea scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture was as effective in treating nausea of pregnancy as a sham procedure.
authors.affiliation: Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare National Health Service Trust, Exeter, United Kingdom. knight43@freeserve.co.uk
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mudge
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Openshaw
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006939:Hyperemesis Gravidarum / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome