Moxibustion reduces labour pain without side effects

A randomised controlled trial to investigate the effect of moxibustion at Spleen 6 (SP 6) for uterine contraction pain in labour, and evaluate its safety.

In all, 174 women with singleton pregnancies and cephalic presentation were allocated to a moxibustion group, a placebo-treated group and �blank� group.

Moxibustion was applied for 30 minutes when the cervix was 3cm dilated. The uterine contraction pain was assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

The VAS scores in the treatment group were obviously decreased after 15 and 30 minutes of moxibustion (both p0.05), but there were no obvious changes in VAS scores in placebo treated group and the blank group. VAS scores decreased more with moxibustion than the other two groups (all p0.05).

After 30 minutes of moxibustion, the effective rate of labour analgesia was 69.5% in the moxibustion group (vs. 45.6% in the placebo and 43.1% in the blank group, p0.05).

Postpartum haemorrhage was less, and the Apgar score of newborn was higher, in the moxibustion group than in the placebo group and blank group (all p0.05).

The researchers concluded that moxibustion at Spleen 6 can relieve uterine contraction pain, and is not associated with side effects in either the mother or infant.

Reference

Ma et al. (2010) Effect of moxibustion at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) for uterine contraction pain in labor: a randomized controlled trial [Article in Chinese] Zhongguo Zhen Jiu; 30: 623-6.