Nine out of 10 women suffer low back pain during pregnancy and pelvic pain is also very common, and pregnant women cannot take medications to alleviate this discomfort because they could harm the fetus. For this reason, in addition to good postural hygiene being essential during pregnancy to prevent conditions such as low back pain, sciatica, etc., alternative therapies are being studied to help solve them. Now, a new meta-analysis has revealed that acupuncture can reduce pain in pregnant women with pelvic and low back problems and improve their functional status and quality of life.
The research, which has been published in BMJ Open, has evaluated the effects of acupuncture in 1,040 healthy pregnant women (17 to 30 weeks gestational age, on average) who suffered from low back and pelvic pain and who had participated in 10 trials conducted in Sweden. , United Kingdom, United States, Spain and Brazil. Acupuncturists, physiotherapists, and midwives administered either body acupuncture or other auricular (earlobe) pressure needles to these women, and recorded data such as which acupuncture points were treated, the length of time the needle was held, and the dose. of intervention.
“Acupuncture significantly improved pain, functional status, and quality of life in women with [dolor lumbar/pélvico] During pregnancy. In addition, acupuncture had no observable serious adverse effects in newborns,” the researchers stated, who also warned that “more [ensayos controlados aleatorios] on a large scale and well designed to further confirm these results.”
Acupuncture versus other interventions in pregnancy
Acupuncture is a therapy that comes from ancient Chinese medicine and is a potential treatment for different types of pain, especially because it avoids the use of drugs and is considered safe, the study authors say. It consists of inserting fine needles into certain areas of the body for therapeutic or preventive purposes and, although it is not well understood how it could relieve pain, it is believed that it induces the release of chemicals naturally present in the body -endorphins- and increases the blood flow to the skin and local muscles.
Results from nine studies suggested that acupuncture significantly relieved pain during pregnancy.
The researchers searched research databases to find relevant clinical trials that compared the pain relief provided to pregnant women receiving acupuncture alone or in combination with other therapies, with other treatments, with no treatment, or with sham treatments, as well as the possible effects on their newborn babies.
In seven of the 10 selected trials, needles were placed at points that are generally considered contraindicated in pregnancy (‘no-go points’). Results from nine studies suggested that acupuncture significantly alleviated pain during pregnancy. Four of them showed that acupuncture significantly improved physical function, and quality of life was recorded in five studies, the findings of which suggested that this therapy also had a very positive impact.
Analyzing data from four studies, the investigators noted a significant difference in overall effects when comparing acupuncture with other interventions or no intervention. However, analysis of pooled data from two studies detailing the use of pain-relieving medications found no difference in their use between those who received acupuncture and those who received nothing.
Analysis of adjusted pooled data also suggested that acupuncture is safe, and in four studies that had Apgar scores in newborns, no significant differences in infant health scores were observed when comparing acupuncture with other interventions, or with no one.
Seven studies reported expected minor side effects in pregnant women, such as pain, soreness and bleeding at the needle site, and drowsiness, but participants viewed acupuncture favorably and most were willing to repeat sessions if necessary. .
The researchers acknowledge some limitations of the research, such as that it included few studies and of variable quality, but they believe that the possibilities offered by this therapy to relieve pain during pregnancy should continue to be studied, since it is better for pregnant women to avoid taking medications because of its possible side effects, both for them and for their children.
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