The safety of electroacupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) plus oxytocin for hastening uterine contraction of puerperants--a randomized controlled clinical observation.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the safety of electroacupuncture plus oxytocin for uterine contraction of puerperants. METHODS 276 puerperants with difficult labor were randomly divided into a medication group, treated with intravenous dripping of oxytocin, and an acupuncture plus medication group, in the medication group, intravenous dripping of oxytocin was given, and in the other group, acupuncture at bilateral Hegu (LI 4) was added. Heart rate, respiratory frequency, blood pressure of puerperants, fetal heart rate and birth process were observed. RESULTS During laboring, the indices observed, including heart rate, respiratory frequency, blood pressure, fetal heart rate and birth process, were all in normal range in all of the 276 cases, with better effects in acupuncture plus medication Group M. CONCLUSIONS Electroacupuncture at bilateral Hegu (LI 4) plus intravenous dripping of oxytocin can intensify the uterine contraction, shorten the birth process to avoid probable systemic exhaustion due to excessive consumption, and with no side effects on life signs of the puerperants and newborns.