Standing lumbar rotation and pressure at the inner lower leg both eased labour pain and improved childbirth experiences, while lower-leg pressure also shortened labour.
This semi-experimental randomized clinical trial enrolled first-time mothers in active labour at a hospital in Iran. Participants were allocated to standing lumbar rotation, pressure applied at the sixth spleen point on the lower leg, or usual care without either intervention. Each intervention was delivered during active labour at two stages of cervical dilation. Researchers assessed pain repeatedly, recorded the duration of labour stages, and collected mothers’ reported childbirth experiences shortly after birth.
Both acupressure approaches reduced labour pain compared with usual care and improved mothers’ overall childbirth experiences, including perceived capability, safety, and participation. Pressure at the lower-leg point was additionally associated with shorter active labour, second-stage labour, and total labour duration than usual care.
