Acupuncture for Pain Relief During Perineal Repair After Childbirth

Acupuncture or Local Anaesthetics for Pain Relief During Perineal Repair After Vaginal Delivery: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT00328796

Enrollment

207

Registered

2006-05-22

Start date

2006-05-31

Completion date

2008-02-29

Last updated

2008-10-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Birth Injuries, Lacerations, Pain

Keywords

Perineal, repair, episiotomies, midwives, pain relief, Episiotomy

Brief summary

Midwives and obstetricians are currently using acupuncture for several health problems during pregnancy and childbirth. The investigators wish to determine whether acupuncture can be used as pain relief during the repair of lacerations in the female pelvic floor following childbirth. Three acupuncture points in the ear have been reported highly effective for perineal pain relief. A scientific trial will compare acupuncture with traditional local anaesthetics when midwives conduct perineal repair just after delivery in the hospitals of Southern Denmark.

Detailed description

A randomised trial has been initiated. 226 healthy primipara are invited to participate if they deliver a child after gestation week 36 and sustain a perineal laceration or an episiotomy during childbirth. The randomisation is done using a computer-controlled voice response system and the compared treatments are: A: Acupuncture in Shen Men, GV20, BL36 and 2 needles in the upper ear. B: Local anaesthetics (lidocaine 10 ml/mg) directly in the wound area. Primary outcomes are: 1. Need for additional pain relief during the perineal repair. 2. Pain experienced during perineal repair reported 1 day after delivery. 3. Wound healing evaluated 1 and 14 days after delivery. 4. Patient satisfaction with the given pain relief.

Interventions

PROCEDUREacupuncture in 6 specific points

DRUGlidocaine 10mg/ml

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

FEMALE

Age

15 Years to 50 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Primipara * Healthy mother and child * Danish speaking * Perineal laceration or episiotomy that can be sutured by a midwife.

Exclusion criteria

* Large perineal lacerations * Heavy bleeding after childbirth * No need for pain relief

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Need for additional pain relief during the perineal repair	—
Pain experienced during perineal repair reported 1 day after delivery	—
Wound healing evaluated 1 and 14 days after delivery	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Patient satisfaction with the given pain relief	—

Countries

Denmark

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026