Acupuncture needle may protect the perineum during childbirth
NCT ID NCT04128033
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether puncturing the RP6 acupuncture point during the pushing phase of labor could reduce perineal tears and increase the chance of an intact perineum after childbirth. 350 women who had never given birth vaginally were randomly assigned to receive either real acupuncture or a placebo puncture. The main goal was to see if the real acupuncture led to fewer injuries.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- acupuncture (puncture of RP6 point)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, drug-free way to reduce perineal injuries during childbirth.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed trial with 350 participants, but the intervention is a single acupuncture point, and results may not apply to all women or settings. The placebo effect is also possible.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Centre Hospitalier Sud Francilien
Corbeil-Essonnes, 91106, France
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