Complementary and alternative therapies for pain management in labour

Smith, Caroline; Collins, Carmel T; Cyna, Allan M; Crowther, Caroline A

doi:10.1002/14651858.cd003521.pub2

Cited by 148 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 44 publications

(21 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…We conducted the study because the effect of acupuncture on labor pain was poorly documented. All studies published before 2002 were small, retrospective, or uncontrolled (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11), and only a few randomized controlled trials have evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture for pain relief during labor since 2002 (17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). These studies vary in size and quality.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acupuncture as Pain Relief During Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Borup

Wurlitzer

Hedegaard

et al. 2009

Birth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Many women need some kind of analgesic treatment to relieve pain during childbirth. The objective of our study was to compare the effect of acupuncture with transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) and traditional analgesics for pain relief and relaxation during delivery with respect to pain intensity, birth experience, and obstetric outcome. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 607 healthy women in labor at term who received acupuncture, TENS, or traditional analgesics. Primary outcomes were the need for pharmacological and invasive methods, level of pain assessed by a visual analogue scale, birth experience and satisfaction with delivery, and pain relief evaluated at 2 months postpartum. Secondary obstetric outcomes were duration of labor, use of oxytocin, mode of delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, Apgar score, and umbilical cord pH value. Analysis complied with the intention-to-treat principle. Results: Use of pharmacological and invasive methods was significantly lower in the acupuncture group (acupuncture vs traditional, p < 0.001; acupuncture vs TENS, p = 0.031). Pain scores were comparable. Acupuncture did not influence the duration of labor or the use of oxytocin. Mean Apgar score at 5 minutes and umbilical cord pH value were significantly higher among infants in the acupuncture group compared with infants in the other groups. Conclusions: Acupuncture reduced the need for pharmacological and invasive methods during delivery. Acupuncture is a good supplement to existing pain relief methods. (BIRTH

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acupuncture as Pain Relief During Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Borup

Wurlitzer

Hedegaard

et al. 2009

Birth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This would require a comparison between massage with relaxation techniques and relaxation techniques alone, practised by women and their birthing partners from 36 weeks gestation until birth. To improve the quality of evidence on massage interventions combined with relaxation techniques for labour and birth pain, our key task is to follow recent recommendations, to correct design flaws and methodological weakness in existing trials (Smith et al, 2006;Ezzo, 2007). The majority of recent trials on massage for labour and other forms of pain have been designed to test the effects of structured programmes of massage used in combination with other techniques (Field et al, 1997;Chang et al, 2002;Yildirim and Sahin, 2004;Ezzo, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Massage or music for pain relief in labour: A pilot randomised placebo controlled trial

Kimber

McNabb

Court

et al. 2008

European Journal of Pain

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Research on massage therapy for maternal pain and anxiety in labour is currently limited to four small trials. Each used different massage techniques, at different frequencies and durations, and relaxation techniques were included in three trials. Given the need to investigate massage interventions that complement maternal neurophysiological adaptations to labour and birth pain(s), we designed a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test the effects of a massage programme practised during physiological changes in pain threshold, from late pregnancy to birth, on women's reported pain, measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS) at 90 min following birth. To control for the potential bias of the possible effects of support offered within preparation for the intervention group, the study included 3 arms--intervention (massage programme with relaxation techniques), placebo (music with relaxation techniques) and control (usual care). The placebo offered a non-pharmacological coping strategy, to ensure that use of massage was the only difference between intervention and placebo groups. There was a trend towards slightly lower mean pain scores in the intervention group but these differences were not statistically significant. No differences were found in use of pharmacological analgesia, need for augmentation or mode of delivery. There was a trend towards more positive views of labour preparedness and sense of control in the intervention and placebo groups, compared with the control group. These findings suggest that regular massage with relaxation techniques from late pregnancy to birth is an acceptable coping strategy that merits a large trial with sufficient power to detect differences in reported pain as a primary outcome measure.

show abstract

“…14 A systematic review of the use of CAM for pain management in labour reported one aromatherapy randomised controlled trial (RCT). 15 This very small study of 22 women comparing one essential oil (EO) with another on maternal pain perception during labour failed to detect any significant difference for any outcome. 16 The use of aromatherapy in labour was explored in an observational study undertaken in a district general maternity unit in the UK and involving a sample of 8053 participants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Aromatherapy in childbirth: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Burns

Zobbi

Panzeri

et al. 2007

BJOG

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objectives We aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) on the use of aromatherapy during labour as a care option that could improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.Design RCT comparing aromatherapy with standard care during labour.Setting District general maternity unit in Italy.Sample Two hundred and fifty-one women randomised to aromatherapy and 262 controls.Methods Participants randomly assigned to administration of selected essential oils during labour by midwives specifically trained in their use and modes of application.Main outcome measures Intrapartum outcomes were the following: operative delivery, spontaneous delivery, first-and second-stage augmentation, pharmacological pain relief, artificial rupture of membranes, vaginal examinations, episiotomy, labour length, neonatal wellbeing (Apgar scores) and transfer to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).Results There were no significant differences for the following outcomes: caesarean section (relative risk [RR] . Significantly more babies born to control participants were transferred to NICU, 0 versus 6 (2%), P = 0.017. Pain perception was reduced in aromatherapy group for nulliparae. The study, however, was underpowered.Conclusion This study demonstrated that it is possible to undertake an RCT using aromatherapy as an intervention to examine a range of intrapartum outcomes, and it provides useful information for future sample size calculations.

show abstract

Complementary and alternative therapies for pain management in labour

Abstract: Trusted evidence. Informed decisions. Better health.

Cited by 148 publications

References 44 publications

Acupuncture as Pain Relief During Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Acupuncture as Pain Relief During Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Massage or music for pain relief in labour: A pilot randomised placebo controlled trial

Aromatherapy in childbirth: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About