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Complementary and alternative therapies for pain management in labour
C A Smith1, C T Collins, A M Cyna
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Adelaide, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Road, North Adelaide, Australia. caroline.anne.smith@adelaide.edu.au
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|June 14, 2003
Summary
Complementary therapies like acupuncture and hypnosis show promise for labor pain management. However, more rigorous scientific studies are needed due to the small number of women included in current research.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Background:
- Many women seek non-pharmacological pain relief during labor.
- Complementary and alternative therapies (CATs) are increasingly popular for labor pain management.
- Evidence for the effectiveness of CATs in labor pain management requires examination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of CATs for labor pain management.
- To assess the impact of CATs on maternal and perinatal morbidity during labor.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- Searched multiple databases including Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL up to July 2002.
- Included RCTs comparing CATs with placebo, no treatment, or pharmacological methods for labor pain.
Main Results:
- Seven trials involving 366 women were analyzed, including acupuncture, audio-analgesia, aromatherapy, hypnosis, and music.
- Acupuncture reduced the need for pain relief (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.81).
- Hypnosis improved maternal satisfaction with pain management (RR 2.33, 95% CI 1.55 to 4.71).
- No significant differences were observed for aromatherapy, music, or audio-analgesia.
Conclusions:
- Acupuncture and hypnosis may offer benefits for labor pain management.
- Limited scientific evidence exists for many complementary therapies due to small study sizes.
- Further high-quality research is necessary to confirm the efficacy and safety of CATs in labor.