Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to analyse the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) cohort data to examine the safety of acupuncture therapy during pregnancy.
DESIGN
Retrospective cohort.
SETTING
Korea.
POPULATION OR SAMPLE
Women with confirmed pregnancy between 2003 and 2012 from the 2002-13 NHIS sample cohort (n = 20 799).
METHODS
Women with confirmed pregnancy were identified and divided into acupuncture or control group for comparison of their outcomes. Differences in other factors such as age, and rate of high-risk pregnancy and multiple pregnancy were examined. In the acupuncture group, the most frequent acupuncture diagnosis codes and the timing of treatment were also investigated.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Incidence of full-term delivery, preterm delivery and stillbirth by pregnancy duration and among the high-risk and multiple pregnancy groups.
RESULTS
Of 20 799 pregnant women analysed, 1030 (4.95%) and 19 749 were in the acupuncture and control groups, respectively. Both overall (odds ratio [OR] 1.23; 95% CI 0.98-1.54), and in the stratified analysis of high-risk pregnancies (OR 1.09; 95% CI 0.73-1.64), there was no significant difference between acupuncture and control groups in preterm deliveries. No stillbirths occurred in the acupuncture group and 0.035% of pregnancies resulted in stillbirths in the control group.
CONCLUSION
No significant difference in delivery outcomes (preterm delivery and stillbirth) was observed between confirmed pregnancies in the acupuncture and control groups. Therefore, in pregnancy, acupuncture therapy may be a safe therapeutic modality for relieving discomfort without an adverse delivery outcome.
TWEETABLE ABSTRACT
In pregnancy, acupuncture therapy may be a safe therapeutic modality for relieving discomfort without an adverse outcome.
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