The role of acupuncture in the present approach to labor induction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the bibliographic references available on the contribution of acupuncture as a strategy to avoid labor induction and the methodology used; and explore the characteristics of the population and the results of the intervention in order to direct the design of future studies. DATA SOURCE: A systematic search for publications between January 2000 and September 2023 of the CENTRAL, PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and EUDRACT databases was performed. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included randomized clinical trials of pregnant women who underwent acupuncture before labor induction with a filiform needle or acupressure, including at least 1 of the following outcomes: spontaneous labor rate, time from procedure to delivery, and cesarean delivery rate. Articles published in English or German language were included. METHODS: Whenever possible, a meta-analysis using RevMan software was performed using a random effects model with the I2 statistic because important heterogeneity in the different acupuncture treatments was expected. When enough data were available, the effect of the participants' characteristics on the results of the interventions were explored using the following subgroups: 1-Age (≥35 vs <35 years), and 2- body mass index (≥30 vs <30 kg/m2). When a meta-analysis was not possible, a narrative synthesis of the results was performed. The quality of the evidence was assessed using GRADE. RESULTS: Seventeen studies including 3262 women fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed no statistically significant differences between groups for outcomes (relative risk, 1.00; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-1.10; I2, 11%) comparing acupuncture vs sham acupuncture. However, there was a statistically significant increase in the spontaneous onset of labor rate favoring acupuncture vs no acupuncture (relative risk, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.23; I2, 25%). Regarding the age analysis, no differences between groups were observed in the spontaneous labor rate and cesarean delivery rate for acupuncture vs sham and acupuncture vs no acupuncture comparisons (difference between groups, P>.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that acupuncture may be beneficial in reducing the rate of induction of labor; however, well-designed randomized controlled trials are necessary. Maternal age ≥35 years and a high body mass index were underrepresented, and the findings may not be representative of the current population in our context.

Use of hydrotherapy during labour: Assessment of pain, use of analgesia and neonatal safety. / Uso de hidroterapia durante el parto: evaluación del dolor, uso de analgesia y seguridad neonatal.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of the use of hydrotherapy in pain perception and requesting analgesia in women who use hydrotherapy during childbirth and to identify possible adverse effects in infants born in water. METHOD: A multicentre prospective cohort study was performed between September 2014 and April 2016. A total of 200 pregnant women were selected and assigned to the hydrotherapy group (HG) or the control group (CG) according to desire and availability of use, data collection started at 5cm dilatation. The instruments used were the numerical rating scale (NRS), use of analgesia, Apgar Test, umbilical cord pH and NICU admission. Participants were distributed into: HG (n=111; 50 water birth) and CG (n=89). RESULTS: Pain at 30 and 90min was lower in the HG than in the CG (NRS 30min 6.7 [SD 1.6] vs 7.8 [SD 1.2] [P<.001] and NRS 90min 7.7 [SD 1.2] vs. 8.9 [SD 1.1] [P<.001]). During the second stage of labour, pain was lower in pregnant women undergoing a water birth (NRS HG 8.2 [SD 1.2], n=50; NRS CG 9.5 [SD 0.5], n=89 [P<.001]). Relative to the use of analgesia, in the CG 30 (33.7%) pregnant women requested epidural analgesia vs. 24 (21.1%) pregnant women in HG (P=.09). The neonatal parameters after water birth were not modified compared to those born out of water. CONCLUSION: The use of hydrotherapy reduces pain during labour, and during second stage in women who undergo a water birth and the demand for analgesia decreases in multiparous pregnant women. No adverse effects were seen in infants born under water.

Nifedipine versus ritodrine for suppression of preterm labor. Comparison of their efficacy and secondary effects.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of nifedipine and ritodrine in prolonging pregnancy beyond 48 h, 1 week and 36.0 weeks and to evaluate maternal side effects and adverse perinatal outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Non-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Eighty patients with singleton pregnancies admitted for preterm labor with intact membranes between 22 and 35 weeks of gestation were included in the study. Preterm labor was defined as the persistence of at least two symptomatic uterine contractions within a 10 min period during 60 min after admission and despite bed rest. RESULTS: Forty women received oral nifedipine and forty intravenous ritodrine. Two patients, one from each group, were excluded because of loss to follow-up after discharge. Therefore, 39 women in the nifedipine and the ritodrine groups, respectively, were evaluable for the final analysis. Baseline characteristics were comparable in both groups. The percentage of initial response, the speed of onset of action and the rate of successful treatment within 48 h were significantly better in the ritodrine group. However, prolongation of pregnancy beyond 7 days and 36 weeks of pregnancy was similar with a significantly lower rate of side effects in the nifedipine group. CONCLUSIONS: In this small trial, ritodrine provided more effective tocolysis within the first 48 h than nifedipine at the doses used in this study, although with a significantly higher rate of side effects.