The effect of acupressure on uterine tone and pain after delivery

Uterine Atony is the most common cause of postpartum bleeding and uterus contraction is associated with pain. Acupressure stimulates physiological functions of channels and in certain disease by management of symptoms and increasing the flow of energy causes balance in the inner function of the body. This study was performed with aim to assess the effect of acupressure on uterine tone and pain after delivery
This randomized double-blind clinical trial was performed in 2015 on 114 mothers with NVD in Omolbanin hospital. The subjects were randomly allocated into three groups of main acupressure, sham (placebo point), and control. In the main acupressure group, after newborn delivery and before placenta expulsion, 2 minutes pressure was applied on points CV6 and 4, and in sham acupressure group, less pressure was applied on 2 placebo points. There was no intervention in control group. The Research Assistant measured uterine tone using VAS immediately after placenta expulsion and during afterpain, at 1 and 2 hours after birth. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 16) and Kruskal-Wallis, Variance analysis, and Chi-square tests. P Contracted uterine tone in the main acupressure group, right after placenta expulsion and at 1 and 2 hours post-delivery was %89.5, %86.8 and %86.8, respectively, and in sham acupressure group was %86.8, %84.2 and %89.5, respectively, and in control group was %81.6, %76.3 and %78.8, respectively. Despite it was more in the main group than the control group, but Kruskal-Wallis Test showed no significant difference in the three groups (P>0.05). Mean score of pain severity at 1 and 2 hours post-delivery in the main acupressure group was 8.9±17.5 and 4.6±11.9, respectively, and in sham acupressure group was 2.5±15.9 and 5.3±13.9, respectively, and in control group was 9.8±19.2 and 7.6±17.4. Despite that it was less in the main group than in the control group, Kruskal-Wallis Test showed no significant difference in the three groups (P>0.05).
Acupressure on main points has no effect on the uterine tone and pain at 1 and 2 hours post-delivery, but performing further studies are necessary to determine its effect on the tone and pain during the period under consideration.