Labor PainYintang AcupreNCT07783776
Yintang Acupressure During Labor in Primiparous Women
A study testing Yintang Acupressure in people with Labor Pain and Anxiety, run by Inonu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This randomized controlled study evaluated whether acupressure applied to the Yintang point during labor affects labor duration, pain, anxiety, and childbirth satisfaction in primiparous women. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Labor Pain, Anxiety
- What is being tested?
- Yintang Acupressure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 104 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Jun 2024to 30 Dec 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
None listed.
Who cannot join
- Known sensitivity or intolerance to acupressure or touch at the application site
- Use of pharmacological pain-control methods before enrollment, including analgesics, sedatives, or epidural analgesia
- High-risk pregnancy, including preeclampsia or diabetes
- History of a diagnosed neurological or psychiatric disorder
- Signs of fetal distress
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effects of Yintang Acupressure on Labor Duration, Pain, Anxiety, and Childbirth Satisfaction in Primiparous Women: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial
This randomized controlled study evaluated whether acupressure applied to the Yintang point during labor affects labor duration, pain, anxiety, and childbirth satisfaction in primiparous women. A total of 104 women were randomly assigned to either the Yintang acupressure group or the sham light-touch control group, with 52 participants in each group.
Participants in the intervention group received five acupressure sessions during labor and the early postpartum period. Participants in the control group received routine midwifery care and light touch at a non-therapeutic forehead location. Labor duration, pain intensity, anxiety, and childbirth satisfaction were compared between the groups.
Read the detailed description
This study was conducted as a randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial involving primiparous women admitted to the maternity ward of a hospital in eastern Türkiye. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of Yintang acupressure on labor duration, labor pain, postpartum anxiety, and childbirth satisfaction.
A total of 104 eligible participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention group (n=52) or the sham control group (n=52). Participants in both groups received routine midwifery care.
Participants assigned to the intervention group received manual acupressure at the Yintang point, located on the midline of the forehead between the eyebrows. Five sessions were administered: at 5-6 cm cervical dilation, at 6-7 cm cervical dilation, at approximately 8 cm cervical dilation, during the third stage of labor, and 60 minutes after childbirth. Each session lasted approximately 6-7 minutes.
Participants in the sham control group received light touch at a forehead location outside the Yintang point. The duration, participant position, and practitioner contact were designed to resemble the intervention procedure without applying therapeutic pressure to the Yintang point.
Labor duration was recorded using a labor monitoring form. Pain intensity was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale at prespecified assessment points. Anxiety was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and childbirth satisfaction was assessed using the Birth Satisfaction Assessment Form after childbirth.
Because participant recruitment and data collection had been completed before submission of this record, the study was registered retrospectively.
- Conditions
- Labor Pain, Anxiety
- Being tested
- Yintang Acupressure, Sham Light Touch
- Keywords
- yintang, acupressure, labor duration
- Medical subject headings
- Labor Pain, Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Yintang AcupressureOther
Manual pressure was applied to the Yintang point at 5-6 cm, 6-7 cm, and approximately 8 cm cervical dilation, during the third stage of labor, and at 60 minutes postpartum. Each session lasted approximately 6-7 minutes.
Sham Light TouchOther
Light touch was applied at a non-therapeutic forehead location at the same assessment periods and for approximately the same duration as the experimental intervention, without therapeutic pressure at the Yintang point
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Yintang Acupressure | Experimental | Participants received routine midwifery care and manual acupressure at the Yintang point. Five sessions were administered: at 5-6 cm cervical dilation, at 6-7 cm cervical dilation, at approximately 8 cm cervical dilation, during the third stage of labor, and 60 minutes after childbirth. Each session lasted approximately 6-7 minutes. Receives: Other: Yintang Acupressure |
| Sham Light-Touch Control | Sham comparator | Participants received routine midwifery care and light touch at a forehead location outside the Yintang point. The sham procedure was administered at the same assessment periods and for approximately the same duration as the Yintang acupressure intervention, without applying therapeutic pressure to the Yintang point. Receives: Other: Sham Light Touch |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Labor Pain Intensity
Labor pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), ranging from 0 to 100 mm. A score of 0 indicated no pain, and a score of 100 indicated the worst imaginable pain. Pain was assessed at prespecified stages during labor and at 60 minutes postpartum.
Measured: From enrollment at 5-6 cm cervical dilation through 60 minutes postpartum
Secondary outcomes (1)
Postpartum Anxiety
Anxiety was assessed using the 21-item Beck Anxiety Inventory. Each item is scored from 0 to 3, producing a total score ranging from 0 to 63. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety.
Measured: At 60 minutes postpartum
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Aug 2026
- Study start1 Jun 2024
- Primary completion30 Apr 2025
- Study completion30 Dec 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Labor PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Inonu UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the Yintang acupressure group or the sham light-touch control group. Both groups received routine midwifery care.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 104 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Inonu University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Esra SABANCI BARANSEL, Inonu University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07783776
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2024/5718
- Acronym
- Yintang Acupre
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 26 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared because the informed consent obtained from participants did not include permission for public or third-party sharing of individual-level data. Aggregate study findings will be reported in scientific publications.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Yintang Acupressure on Labor Duration, Pain, Anxiety, and Childbirth Satisfaction in Primiparous Women: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07783776
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Yintang Acupre / 2024/5718
- Conditions
- Labor Pain, Anxiety
- Keywords
- yintang, acupressure, labor duration
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 104 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Inonu UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jun 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Dec 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This randomized controlled study evaluated whether acupressure applied to the Yintang point during labor affects labor duration, pain, anxiety, and childbirth satisfaction in primiparous women. A total of 104 women were randomly assigned to either the Yintang acupressure group or the sham light-touch control group, with 52 participants in each group.
Participants in the intervention group received five acupressure sessions during labor and the early postpartum period. Participants in the control group received routine midwifery care and light touch at a non-therapeutic forehead location. Labor duration, pain intensity, anxiety, and childbirth satisfaction were compared between the groups.
Detailed description
This study was conducted as a randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial involving primiparous women admitted to the maternity ward of a hospital in eastern Türkiye. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of Yintang acupressure on labor duration, labor pain, postpartum anxiety, and childbirth satisfaction.
A total of 104 eligible participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention group (n=52) or the sham control group (n=52). Participants in both groups received routine midwifery care.
Participants assigned to the intervention group received manual acupressure at the Yintang point, located on the midline of the forehead between the eyebrows. Five sessions were administered: at 5-6 cm cervical dilation, at 6-7 cm cervical dilation, at approximately 8 cm cervical dilation, during the third stage of labor, and 60 minutes after childbirth. Each session lasted approximately 6-7 minutes.
Participants in the sham control group received light touch at a forehead location outside the Yintang point. The duration, participant position, and practitioner contact were designed to resemble the intervention procedure without applying therapeutic pressure to the Yintang point.
Labor duration was recorded using a labor monitoring form. Pain intensity was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale at prespecified assessment points. Anxiety was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and childbirth satisfaction was assessed using the Birth Satisfaction Assessment Form after childbirth.
Because participant recruitment and data collection had been completed before submission of this record, the study was registered retrospectively.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the Yintang acupressure group or the sham light-touch control group. Both groups received routine midwifery care.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Yintang Acupressure | Experimental | Other: Yintang AcupressureParticipants received routine midwifery care and manual acupressure at the Yintang point. Five sessions were administered: at 5-6 cm cervical dilation, at 6-7 cm cervical dilation, at approximately 8 cm cervical dilation, during the third stage of labor, and 60 minutes after childbirth. Each session lasted approximately 6-7 minutes. |
| Sham Light-Touch Control | Sham comparator | Other: Sham Light TouchParticipants received routine midwifery care and light touch at a forehead location outside the Yintang point. The sham procedure was administered at the same assessment periods and for approximately the same duration as the Yintang acupressure intervention, without applying therapeutic pressure to the Yintang point. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (0 listed)
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Known sensitivity or intolerance to acupressure or touch at the application site
- Use of pharmacological pain-control methods before enrollment, including analgesics, sedatives, or epidural analgesia
- High-risk pregnancy, including preeclampsia or diabetes
- History of a diagnosed neurological or psychiatric disorder
- Signs of fetal distress
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Yintang AcupressureManual pressure was applied to the Yintang point at 5-6 cm, 6-7 cm, and approximately 8 cm cervical dilation, during the third stage of labor, and at 60 minutes postpartum. Each session lasted approximately 6-7 minutes. | Other | Yintang Acupressure |
| Sham Light TouchLight touch was applied at a non-therapeutic forehead location at the same assessment periods and for approximately the same duration as the experimental intervention, without therapeutic pressure at the Yintang point | Other | Sham Light-Touch Control |
Primary outcome
Labor Pain Intensity
Time frame: From enrollment at 5-6 cm cervical dilation through 60 minutes postpartum
Labor pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), ranging from 0 to 100 mm. A score of 0 indicated no pain, and a score of 100 indicated the worst imaginable pain. Pain was assessed at prespecified stages during labor and at 60 minutes postpartum.
1 secondary outcome
Postpartum Anxiety
Time frame: At 60 minutes postpartum
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared because the informed consent obtained from participants did not include permission for public or third-party sharing of individual-level data. Aggregate study findings will be reported in scientific publications.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Yintang Acupressure in people with Labor Pain and Anxiety, run by Inonu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 0 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Labor Pain Intensity (time frame: From enrollment at 5-6 cm cervical dilation through 60 minutes postpartum). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Aug 2026.