Applying pressure to a point above the ankle during labor reduced maternal anxiety and the need for pain-relieving and sedative medicines.
Pregnant women in active labor at a hospital in Tehran were assigned randomly to receive firm pressure at the Spleen 6 point above the ankle, light touch at the same location, or routine care. The intervention lasted thirty minutes, and anxiety was assessed before and after treatment using a facial anxiety rating scale. Researchers also recorded use of sedative and pain-relieving medicines.
Women who received firm acupressure showed lower anxiety after the intervention than women receiving light touch or routine care. They also used fewer sedative and pain-relieving medicines, particularly pethidine, suggesting that acupressure may offer a useful non-drug complement for managing distress and pain during labor.
