Alternative Treatments for Labor Pain

[Angel]

It makes most women nervous just to say the two words -- labor pains. While many women opt for an epidural for pain relief, there are alternative treatments. Now a new review of research finds hypnosis and acupuncture may be the best alternatives at easing labor pains.

The review included data from 14 studies that included more than 1,400 women. Five studies looked at hypnosis and three studies looked at acupuncture. The remaining studies focused on massage, relaxation, aromatherapy, acupressure or white noise for pain relief.

Lead researcher Caroline Smith, a research fellow from the University of Adelaide in Australia, says while the results on acupuncture and hypnosis are encouraging, more research is needed on the other therapies.

The research doesn't surprise doula and childbirth educator Penny Simkin. A doula helps provide informational, emotional and physical comfort to women during labor and birth. She says acupuncture can induce a sense of relaxation and it is gaining respect as a pain management option. However, she says it's most commonly used for women who give birth at home or in a birth center because acupuncture practitioners rarely have treating privileges at hospitals.

Simkin also points out that most of the studies have been on acupuncture and hypnosis because they cost money and researchers want to figure out if mothers are wasting their money. She feels many of the other alternative therapies can be effective, especially massage and she hopes more research will be done to get good hard evidence.