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Acupressure for the in-patient treatment of nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: a randomized control trial.

Heazell A, Thorneycroft J, Walton V, Etherington I

Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK. alex_heazell@talk21.com

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acupressure at the P6 point for the in-patient treatment of severe nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective single-blind randomized control trial that involved 80 patients with nausea and vomiting plus ketonuria before 14 weeks of gestation. RESULTS: There was no difference between length of stay, amount of medication, or fluid required between the acupressure and placebo groups, although acupressure reduced the number of patients who stayed > or =4 nights in the hospital. Acupressure was well tolerated and not associated with an increase in perinatal morbidity or death. CONCLUSION: The use of acupressure at the P6 point does not reduce the amount of antiemetic medication that is required, the requirement for intravenous fluid, and median duration of in-patient stay more than the use of placebo. A small reduction was seen in the number of women who required > or =4 days in the hospital.

Published 8 March 2006 in Am J Obstet Gynecol, 194(3): 815-20.
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