The application of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on specific acupuncture points may provide pain relief for labor and delivery, a new study suggest.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non-invasive technique in which a low-voltage electrical current is delivered through wires from a small power unit to electrodes located on the skin. Electrodes are temporarily attached with paste in various patterns, depending on the specific condition and treatment goals. TENS is often used to treat pain, as an alternative or addition to pain medications. Therapy sessions may last from minutes to hours.
Researchers at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine in Taiwan investigate the efficacy and safety of TENS on specific acupuncture points for reducing pain in the first stage of labor.
In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, researchers randomly assigned healthy full-term expecting women in active phase of first-stage labor to either TENS on four acupuncture points or placebo. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess pain before treatment and 30 and 60 minutes after treatment.
A questionnaire was given at 24 hours after giving birth to evaluate the satisfaction of pain relieving method and the willingness to have the same treatment again. Mode of delivery and neonatal effect were measured as secondary outcomes. One hundred women were eligible for analysis.
The study found that the TENS group experienced VAS score reduction 3 significantly more common than the TENS placebo group. Willingness of using the same analgesic method for a future childbirth was also significantly different (TENS: 96 percent vs TENS placebo 66 percent). Operative delivery was increased in the TENS group (24 percent vs 8 percent), but the neonatal outcomes were not different.
Researchers concluded that the application of TENS on specific acupuncture points could be a non-invasive adjunct for pain relief in the first stage of labor.
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