Study/Year Included Studies | Study Type | Total Subjects | Included Treatments | Comparators | Comments Study Quality Risk of Bias |
[31] 2014 Meta-Analysis |
| Non-pharmacologic labor pain management is beneficial. Includes references [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] . | |||
[37] 2011 | RCT | 52 | Acupuncture |
| Good Low |
[38] 2011 | RCT | 133 | EA |
| Good Low |
[39] 1999 | RCT | 22 | Sterile water injections |
| Fair Low |
[40] 2000 | RCT | 59 | High intensity TENS |
| Fair Potential |
[22] 2014 | Critical narrative review of SR. | Opined that the individual studies should not be analyzed as a SR. | |||
[41] 2011 | SR | 1986 | EA (2 trials) MA (7 trials). Acupressure (4 trials) | Sham acupuncture, usual care, placebo, or mixed/combined controls. | Study quality and risk of bias from reference [31] . Quality Risk of bias |
[32] 2009 [33] 2003 | RCT | 607 | MA | Conventional analgesia or TENS. | Good Low |
| 127 | Acupressure (LI4 & BL67) | 20 min. efflurage or talking. | Good Low | |
[42] 2007 [34] 2010 [43] 2008 |
| 150 | MA | Sham needing at non acupoints. |
|
RCT | (2313) | Acupressure (SP6) | Light touch or usual care. | Fair Low | |
| 324 | EA | Breathing and local massage, epidural, or TENS. |
| |
[44] 2010 [45] 2004 [46] 2008 [35] 2003 [47] 2007
[48] 2002 [49] 2002 [36] 2006 |
| 120 | Acupressure (SP6) | Light touch. |
|
| 89 | Acupressure (SP6) | Light touch (SP6). |
| |
| 128 | MA | Sterile water injections. |
| |
Controlled trial | 198 | MA | Usual care. | Good Unclear | |
| 36 | EA (SP6 & LI4) | No pain relief. |
| |
RCT | 100 | MA | Conventional analgesia. | Good Low | |
| 210 | MA | Conventional analgesia. |
| |
| 90 | MA | Minimal needling or no intervention. | Good Unclear | |
[50] 2010 | SR | 2468 | EA (2 trials) MA (8 trials) | Placebo, sham acupuncture, usual care, or no intervention. | Includes references [32] [35] [36] [42] [43] [46] [48] [49] . |
[51] 2006 |
| 120 | EA (SP6) | Placebo EA (SP6) or no intervention. |
|
[52] 2007 |
| 111 | MA | Minimal needling or no intervention. |
|
[53] 2004 | SR | 1588 | Acupuncture | Active controls, sham acupuncture, or usual care. | Includes references [35] [48] [49] [54] . |
[54] 2003 | SR | 90 | Acupuncture | Sham acupuncture. |
|