This is the Medscape Medical Minute. I'm Dr George Lundberg.
It is desirable to relieve the pain of labor in childbirth without inducing harm. Subcutaneous injections of sterile water and acupuncture have been touted as effective. Three investigators in Sweden report in the Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica in 2008[1] on a randomized controlled trial of 128 pregnant women at term. About half were given acupuncture and half injections of sterile water. Pain relief was sufficient in both groups to prevent the need for other pain therapy. However, in both the primary endpoint of the difference between pre-treatment and maximum pain and the secondary outcome of the degree of relaxation, sterile water injections were statistically better than acupuncture at the P < .001 level. Thus, it appears that injections of sterile water are a safe and effective treatment for the pain of labor.
This article is selected from Medscape Best Evidence.[2] I'm Dr. George Lundberg.
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Cite this: Sterile Water Is Better Than Acupuncture in Relieving the Pain of Labor - Medscape - Jun 27, 2008.
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