[Sterile water papulae for analgesia during labor]

In a group of Scandinavian women in labour, application of sterile water wheals intradermally was compared with a "dry needling" technique as a way of treating labour pain. 101 women received intradermal wheals, 50 were "dry needled" and 117 served as a control group for perinatal complications. 57.6% of the women in the wheal group experienced more than 50% relief of pain compared with 18% in the dry needling group (p less than 0.0001). Mean duration of pain relief was 79 +/- 15 min. (SD) in the wheal group and only 19 +/- 15 min. in the dry needling group. The duration was longest if the wheals were applied early in labour. Judged by the mean Apgar scores one and five minutes after delivery, the method did not seem to have any side effects, either on the mother or on the foetus. It was impossible to carry out the study double blind, but it still strongly indicates that application of small amounts of sterile water intradermally during labour is an efficient and safe way of reducing pain in labour.