Key Finding
A stepped wedge RCT enrolling 600 pregnant women is evaluating whether combined acupoint stimulation and TENS reduces labor pain more effectively than either intervention alone or standard care, using a novel metric — the nonpharmacological to pharmacological pain management interval — to assess delay or avoidance of epidural analgesia.
Having a baby is one of the most intense physical experiences a person can go through, and managing labor pain safely is a top priority for many expectant mothers. A new clinical trial from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University in China is exploring whether combining two non-drug pain relief methods — acupoint stimulation (similar to acupressure or acupuncture) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) — can meaningfully reduce pain during labor and improve the overall childbirth experience.
TENS uses small electrical pulses delivered through pads placed on the skin to interrupt pain signals traveling to the brain. Acupoint stimulation targets specific points on the body believed to influence pain and relaxation. Both methods have been used individually for labor pain, but researchers wanted to know whether using them together works even better.
The study enrolled 600 pregnant women across four labor and delivery units, making it one of the larger trials of its kind. Researchers measured pain using a visual analog scale (VAS), tracked how long women were able to manage without requesting an epidural, and recorded overall birth outcomes. They also conducted interviews with mothers and midwives to capture the full experience — not just the numbers.
One exciting aspect of this research is a new measurement called the nonpharmacological to pharmacological pain management interval (NPI), which tracks whether natural pain relief methods can delay or even eliminate the need for an epidural. This could be particularly meaningful for women who prefer to avoid or delay medical pain intervention.
Preliminary results are expected by early 2025. If the findings are positive, this combined approach could become a widely recommended, safe, and accessible option during labor.
If you are pregnant and interested in non-drug pain management, speak with a qualified, licensed acupuncture practitioner experienced in prenatal and labor support care.
This stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled trial (ChiCTR2300069705) evaluated acupoint stimulation combined with TENS versus each modality alone and standard care for labor pain management across four labor and delivery units at Fudan University's affiliated obstetrics hospital. A total of 600 eligible participants were enrolled over 12 months, exceeding the target of 588. The four-arm design compared TENS alone, acupoint stimulation alone, combined TENS plus acupoint stimulation, and a control group. Primary quantitative outcomes included VAS pain scores, epidural analgesia rates, and a novel composite indicator — the nonpharmacological to pharmacological pain management interval (NPI) — designed to quantify the delay or prevention of neuraxial analgesia. Secondary outcomes included childbirth outcomes and qualitative interviews with parturients and midwives. The authors hypothesize that the combined intervention will outperform standard care on VAS and maternal birth experience metrics. Data analysis is ongoing, with findings anticipated by March 2025. Clinically, this trial introduces the NPI as a potentially valuable outcome measure for future nonpharmacological labor pain research and guideline development.
Browse our directory of verified licensed practitioners near you.
Find a practitioner →📌 Electroacupuncture produced a statistically significant reduction in BMI of 1.50 points greater than sham treatment at 12 weeks in women with obese PCOS, with benefits to BMI and quality of life sustained through 24 weeks post-intervention.
📌 Electroacupuncture at ST36, ST37, and PC6 significantly accelerated the return of gastrointestinal function — including time to first flatus, defecation, oral fluid intake, and ambulation — and reduced pain scores at 72 hours in patients recovering from laparoscopic radical gastrectomy.
📌 In a Bayesian network meta-analysis of 783 patients, suspension training, Pilates, and combined abdominal support with core stability exercise ranked highest for reducing inter-rectus distance above, at, and below the umbilicus respectively, while electroacupuncture was recognized as one of 11 viable rehabilitation therapies for diastasis recti abdominis.