A review of the effect of CAM therapies on pregnancy related back & pelvic girdle pain

What is it about?

International research demonstrates that 25–30% of women use complementary and alternative medicine to manage low-back and pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy without robust evidence demonstrating its effectiveness. It is essential that current practice is informed by a robust evidence base to ensure the safety of both the mother and her unborn child.

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Why is it important?

There is limited evidence available on the role of CAM therapies for these common pregnancy-related conditions. This review was designed to examine the design, implementation and outcomes associated with CAM therapies for pregnancy-related low back- and / or pelvic girdle pain and make recommendations for future research. Eight studies met the review inclusion criteria, all of which were randomised controlled trials. Only two studies, investigating the effect of acupuncture, had a low risk of bias and demonstrated clinically important and statistically significant findings in support of the experimental intervention. The remaining studies had a high risk of bias, therefore their conclusions must be treated with caution.

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