Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on labor in parturients. Methods A total of 349 parturients were randomly divided into EA (n=117)

sham-EA (n=117) and control (n=115) groups. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the pain intensity of puerperas with labor before and after acupuncture intervention. After excluding those puerperas with cesarean section

the time required for each stage of labor and the total duration of labor were observed in 286 cases of natural delivery women including 92 cases in the control group

94 cases in the sham-EA group and 100 cases in the EA group. EA (2 Hz/100 Hz

20 mA) was given to the puerperas for 30 min after the needle in a cannula was tapped into Sanyinjiao(SP 6)and when the dilatation of cervix was about 2-3 cm wide. For puerperas of sham-EA group

the operation was similar

but no real acupuncture needle and no real electric current were given. Results The VAS score for childbirth pain intensity was significantly lower in EA group than in control group(P<0.05)and had no significant difference between sham-EA and control group (P>0.05). The duration of the active phase of the first stage of labor was significantly lower in EA group than in sham-EA group (P<0.05)

but had no significant difference between sham-EA and control groups (P>0.05). No significant differences were found among the 3 groups in the latency of the first stage of labor

in the duration of the 2nd and the 3rd stages of labor and in the total phase of labor (P>0.05). Conclusion EA of SP 6 can relieve the pain intensity of the labor and shorten the duration of the active period of first stage of labor in puerperas

suggesting an improvement of the quality of deli-very after EA.