title: Effects of acupuncture for initiation of labor: a double-blind randomized sham-controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate whether use of acupuncture could initiate labor at term and thus reduce post-term induction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2010 and 2011, a total of 80 women at 38 weeks of gestation or greater were randomized to acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups. Acupuncture points LI4, SP6 and BL67 were needled bilaterally. The primary outcome was initiation of labor. The time from acupuncture to delivery, mode of delivery, fetal and maternal outcome and Apgar scores were recorded. The trial is registered at irct.ir, number IRCT201111218151N1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty women were randomized and 75 women completed the study procedure. Age, BMI, parity and gestational age were similar in both groups. Spontaneous labor was initiated in 94.7 % of acupuncture group and 89.2 % of sham acupuncture group (p = 0.430). There were no statistically significant difference between groups for time from enrollment to delivery (p = 0.06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to this study, it seems that acupuncture was not effective in labor initiation compared to sham acupuncture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tajrish Sq, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ladan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ajori
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nazari
authors.forename: Dariush
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eliaspour
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D010919:Placebos; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos