In an earlier entry the growing list of studies supporting the role of acupuncture in pregnancy clinics was summarized.

Now, there’s a study showing benefits of acupuncture for augmentation of labor after spontaneous rupture of membranes at term.

• 100 healthy pregnant women, with spontaneous rupture of membranes at term, were assigned to acupuncture or no acupuncture.
• Duration of labor was significantly reduced with acupuncture.
• There was a significant reduction in the need for oxytocin (Pitocin) infusion to augment labor.
• Participants in the acupuncture group who needed labor induction had a significantly shorter duration of active phase (regular contractions and at least 4 cm of cervical dilation).
• The findings remained significant when adjusted for potentially confounding factors like previous births, epidural analgesia, and birth weight.

Acupuncture might be a good alternative or complement to drugs to facilitate birth and provide normal delivery for women with prelabor rupture of membranes.

12/24/06 14:44 JR