Use of Acupuncture for Stimulation of Labour

Condition(s) targeted: Dystocia

Intervention: Acupuncture og acupressure when diagnosed with dystocia (Device)

Phase: Phase 2

Status: Terminated

Sponsored by: Herning Hospital

Official(s) and/or principal investigator(s):
Kjeld Rasmussen, obst. dr.med, Study Chair, Affiliation: Obstetric ward Herning and Holstebro hospitals

Hypothesis: Acupuncture can be used as stimulation of labour in case of primary og secondary inertia.

A randomized controlled trial including 150 pregnant women Acupuncture has become a natural part of the range of obstetric treatments offered in danish delivery wards, but there is only little evidence to the effect of the acupuncture.

The women are randomized into to groups.

1. Acupuncture, Acu. points: KI3, Ki6, SP6, BL60, LI4, BL67(acupressure)

2. No treatment

The women will be asked in case beginning signs of inertia, if they want to parcipitate in the trial.

Inclusion criteria:

1. Normal pregnancy

2. In labour (orificium < 8 cm), 37th week or thereafter

3. Ruptured membranes

4. Primary or secondary inertia

The women will just before randomization be vaginally explored and fetal heart monitored. The meassure of effect happens two hours after randomization.

The midwife who measures the effect, is blinded to the treatment or lack of, and also on the including exploration.

Secondary effect meassures: length of labour, use of oxytocin and number of contracions pr/min meassured twice:

1. before the randomization and again 1 hour after randomization.

Official title: Use of Acupuncture for Stimulation of Labour

Study design: Treatment, Randomized, Single Blind (Investigator), Uncontrolled, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study

Primary outcome: is there a difference in length of labour between the intervention group and the control group

Secondary outcome:

use of oxytocin

number of contractions/30 minutes

Minimum age: N/A. Maximum age: N/A. Gender(s): Female.

Criteria:

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Normal pregnancy

2. In labour (orificium < 8 cm), 37th week or thereafter

3. Ruptured membranes

4. Primary or secondary inertia -

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Pathological pregnancy

2. Pathological labour

3. Medical diseases

4. Women who do not speak and undrestand danish

Starting date: October 2002
Ending date: March 2007
Last updated: October 30, 2007