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1. Uluslararası ve 3. Ulusal Tamamlayıcı Terapiler Ve Destekleyici Bakım Uygulamaları Kongresi, Antalya, Turkey, 24 - 26 November 2016, pp.379-380, (Full Text)
The use of acupressure in labor pain: A systematic Review
Kiraz GÜLPINAR, Fatma Dilek TURAN GÜRHOPUR, Tuba YANGÖZ, İlkay BOZ
Introduction: Complementary and alternative medicines are simple, safe, effective and without serious side effects for both mother and infant. Acupressure has been used to decrease labor pain for many years.
Purpose: The aim of this systematic review is to examine the effect of using acupressure on labor.
Methods: Akdeniz University center electronic databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, Sciencedirect, Cochrane library were searched studies published in English with “labor and acupressure” key words. Search results reached in the 712 articles. Also references of the determined studies had reviewed. Investigation of the articles published between 2006-2016, which can be accessed in full text, the original four randomized-controlled studies have been sampled.
Results: A randomized-controlled study was conducted by Hajiamini and colleagues in 2012. There were three groups to receive ice massage, acupressure or placebo. The intervention was applied at the Hegu point and pain intensity assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after the intervention. Ice massage and acupressure techniques reduced pain during labor.
In other two studies, labor pain was measured before the intervention, immediately after the intervention. Active phase duration and second stage duration were shorter in the acupressure group. The women in the acupressure group reported greater satisfaction (Akbarzadeh, 2016; Hamidzadeh, 2012).
Similarly a randomized-controlled study was conducted by Dabiri and colleagues in 2014. The difference in the pain scores between the acupressure and control group was statistically significant but there was no statistically significant difference in the duration of the first stage of labor between the three groups.
Conclusion: Acupressure is an effective and easily applicable technique to reduce labor pain. Acupressure might improve the well-being of mother and infant, increase maternal satisfaction and reduce pain, But the effectiveness of acupressure remain to be confirmed further studies.
Key Words: labor, acupressure