Pregnancy
Conditions
Keywords
pregnancy, acupuncture
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to assess if acupuncture can shorten the time to delivery for women who are experiencing their first, full-term pregnancy.
Detailed description
There are certain medical conditions that can complicate pregnancies after 40 weeks gestation. However, it is not always safe or easy to put these women into labor. Acupuncture has been used in Asia for hundreds of years to induce contractions and begin the labor process. Acupuncture is not typically used in the United States to induce labor, however. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a series of up to five acupuncture treatments can prevent postdates pregnancy.
Interventions
PROCEDUREAcupuncture
PROCEDURESham comparator
Sponsors
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* first, full-term pregnancy * 38-41 weeks gestation * English or Spanish speaking * Bishop score of 7 or less
Exclusion criteria
* uncertain pregnancy dating * transportation difficulties * previous inability to tolerate acupuncture * age less than 18
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| prevention of inpatient induction of labor | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| rate of cesarean delivery | — |
| rates of chorioamnionitis | — |
| length of maternal hospital stay | — |
| rates of assisted delivery | — |
| neonatal outcomes | — |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed