Acupuncture study
Since 1 February 1997 outpatient acupuncture treatment has been offered in Baby/Delivery for pregnant women with conditions like back and pelvic pain.
A study is currently underway that is investigating whether acupuncture treatment in early pregnancy can reduce pain and improve quality of life. The project is part of the ongoing quality assurance work in the acupuncture unit in Baby/Delivery.
The aim of the pilot study is to describe and compare the effects on pain and quality of life in the 20th week of pregnancy with a late start to treatment in the 26th week.
The study is looking at pains from the back and pelvis that begin before the 20th week of pregnancy. The sample consists of healthy, pregnant women who seek help for back and pelvic pain at the midwifery clinics in the catchment area: eastern district, Kronoberg county council.
The person in charge of the study is Lena Ekdahl reg. midwife
Oxytocin study
Oxytocin is a hormone that is best known for its effects on the womb during labour and delivery and on the expression of milk for breastfeeding. Synthetic oxytocin has been used in delivery care in Sweden since the 1960s to stimulate labour when considered necessary to help women to give birth within a reasonable time. Treatment with oxytocin does not just mean a quicker delivery, it also often leads to increased use of instruments during delivery, more ruptures in the diaphragm, with the baby lacking oxygen as a result. This information has been gathered from studies that were not sufficiently large and we do not yet know if it is the oxytocin stimulation itself or the circumstances in which oxytocin is administered that cause the complications.
Furthermore, in recent years it has become apparent that the body's own oxytocin has a number of effects on the brain and influences both the mother's behaviour and experience of pain.
When breastfeeding is due to begin, differences in hormone balance have been observed that relate to the way the baby was born.
A study is currently underway at Baby/Delivery in Växjö and Danderyd that is evaluating the effects of oxytocin on the outcome of deliveries as well as the mother's behaviour and breastfeeding effects. The study relates to Swedish-speaking, healthy, full-term, first-time mothers with spontaneous labour.
The person in charge of the study in Växjö is Eva M Nilsson reg. midwife/clinical lecturer. The client is Kronoberg County/Växjö University.
New statistics program
From the start of next year all information about deliveries will be stored in a unique statistics program.
This program can be used to search for particular information about deliveries. This information can then be used in research that will benefit mothers and babies.
Uppdaterad av: Carl Mölstad, 2005-09-09 11:14