Comparing the impact of acupuncture and pethidine on reducing labor pain

Allameh, Zahra; Tehrani, Hatav Ghasemi; Ghasemi, Mojdeh

Comparing the impact of acupuncture and pethidine on reducing labor pain

Authors

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Generally 50 to 70 percent of women suffer from a severe and unbearable pain during their childbirth. Abnormal fetal heart patterns, an increase of caesarian delivery rate, prolonged labor and low APGAR score in newborn are some of adverse effects of labor pain. Disagreement between different studies regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of acupuncture on labor pain led us to do this study.
Materials and Methods: This is a clinical trial study. Sampling was done randomly in Esfahan, Shahid Beheshti Hospital, based on the subjects' characteristics. Patients were classified into three groups of control, Pethidine and acupuncture (27-30 women in each group). All women with a first and second pregnancy.VAS pain ruler was used as data collection tool. Data were analyzed in SPSS software, and using ANOVA and kruskal-Wallis tests.
Results: The average pain score in control group 30 min after intervention was 7.80, while in Pethidine and acupuncture groups respectively were 6.87 and 5.77. Kruskal-Walis test showed that three groups in pain severity had significant difference at this time. The average length of the active phase of labor in Pethidine and acupuncture groups was 175 min while this time in control group was 243 min that ANOVA test showed a significant difference (P = 0.000).
Conclusion: Results showed that acupuncture can significantly reduce labor pain in 30 min after intervention, while it had no effect on labor pain at full dilatation. However, both in Pethidine and acupuncture groups, the length of the active phase has been considerably shortened.

Keywords

References

1.	Melzack R. Labour pain as a model of acute pain. Pain 1993;53:117-20.
2.	Mackey MC. Women's preparation for the childbirth experience. Matern Child Nurs J 1990;19:143-73.
3.	Bonica JJ. The pain of child birth. 3 ^rd ed. Edinburg: Churchill Livingstone; 1994.
4.	Wall PD, Melzack R. Textbook of pain. 4 ^th ed. Edinburg: Churchill Livingstone; 1994.
5.	Roghaei MA, Ghahiry A. Complementary therapies for pregnancy and childbirth. Kankash: Bailliere Tindall; 1992.
6.	Beischer NA, Mackay EV. Obstetrics and newborn. 3 ^rd ed. Baltimor: Sandurers Company; 1995.
7.	Nesheim BI, Kinge R, Berg B, Alfredsson B, Allgot E, Hove G, et al. Acupuncture during labor can reduce the use of meperidine: A controlled clinical study. Clin J Pain 2003;19:187-91.
8.	Winer N. Different methods for the induction of labour in postterm pregnancy. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris) 2011;40:796-811.
9.	Marra C, Pozzi I, Ceppi L, Sicuri M, Veneziano F, Regalia AL. Wrist-ankle acupuncture as perineal pain relief after mediolateral episiotomy: A pilot study. J Altern Complement Med 2011;17:239-41.
10.	Hjelmstedt A, Shenoy ST, Stener-Victorin E, Lekander M, Bhat M, Balakumaran L, et al. Acupressure to reduce labor pain: A randomized controlled trial. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2010;89:1453-9.
11.	Helmseresht E. Maternal and neonatal health. Tehran, Iran: Chehr publication; 1994.
12.	Cui JM, Yang XX, Jin ZH, Ma SX, Dong LH, Li Q. Effect of acupoint Sanyinjiao (SP6) moxibustion on the first stage of labor and uterine contractive pain in primiparae. Chin J Integr Med 2011;17:464-6.
13.	Ma W, Bai W, Lin C, Zhou P, Xia L, Zhao C, et al. Effects of Sanyinjiao (SP6) with electroacupuncture on labour pain in women during labour. Complement Ther Med 2011;19(Suppl 1):S13-8.
14.	Ma SX, Wu FW, Cui JM, Jin ZH, Kong LJ. Effect on moxibustion at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) for uterine contraction pain in labor: A randomized controlled trial. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2010;30:623-6.
15.	Ma WZ, Zhou PJ, Zhang Y, Yuan Y, Wu Y, Zhao CH, et al. Clinical observation on the effect of electroacupuncture of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on labor. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu 2010;35:217-21.
16.	May AE, Elton CD. The effects of pain and its management on mother and fetus. Baillieres Clin Obstet Gynaecol 1998 Sep; 12:423-41.
17.	Kennel J, Klaus M, MCGrath S, Robertson S, Hinkley C. Continuous emotional support during labor in a U.S. hospital: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 1991;265:2197-201.
18.	Zeisler H, Tempfer C, Mayerhofer K, Barrada M, Husslein P. Influence of acupuncture on duration of labor. Gynecol Obstet Invest 1998;46:22-5.
19.	Ramnerö A, Hanson U, Kihlgren M. Acupuncture treatment during labour - A randomised controlled trial. BJOG 2002;109:637-44.
20.	Lowdermilk DL. Maternity nursing. 6 ^th ed. Mosby: Missouri; 2003.
21.	Eappen S, Robbins D. Non pharmacological means of pain relief for labor and delivery. Int Anesthesiol Clin 2002;40:103-14.
22.	Lyrenäs S, Lutsch H, Hetta J, Nyberg F, Willdeck-Lundh G, Lindberg B. Acupuncture before delivery: Effect on pain perception and the need for analgesics. Gynecol Obstet Invest 1990;29:118-24.
23.	Scott JS. Obstetric analgesia. A consideration of labor pain and a patient-controlled technique for its relief with meperidine. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1970;106:959-78.

Advanced Biomedical Research