Acupuncture in the ear may ease Pre-Surgery jitters without drugs
NCT ID NCT02707705
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a simple ear acupuncture treatment could reduce anxiety in women about to have a planned cesarean section. 91 women were split into three groups: one got real acupuncture needles on the ear, another got a needle-free patch (placebo), and a third got no treatment. Anxiety was measured before and after the short procedure. The goal was to see if this drug-free approach could help mothers feel calmer before surgery, avoiding medications that might affect the newborn.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- auricular acupuncture (needle patches applied to specific ear points)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a drug-free way to ease anxiety before C-sections, avoiding medications that might affect the newborn.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 91 participants, so results may not apply widely. The placebo effect is strong with acupuncture, and the study compares needle patches to needle-free patches, so any benefit might be due to the ritual rather than the needles themselves.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
91 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Feb 2016
- Finished
-
Feb 2018
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * All patients American Society of Anaesthesiologists 1or 2 targeted for elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia * Aged over 18 years * Affiliation to social security * Participation Consent signed after oral and written information Exclusion Criteria: * Guardianship * Psychological disorders preventing informed consent * Long-term antidepressant or anxiolytic * Previous history of auricular acupuncture * Refusal of participation in the study * Cesarean section for placenta accreta * Presence of a pacemaker
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Anxiety reduction, elective cesarean section are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Hôpital de la Croix Rousse
Lyon, 69317, France