Influence of acupuncture on the third stage of labor: a randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: A prolonged third stage of labor is considered to be a risk factor for postpartum hemorrhage. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of acupuncture to reduce the length of the third stage of labor.

Methods: Seventy-six puerperal women who had a normal spontaneous birth at the Hospital Universitario Principe de Asturias, Alcalá de Henares, Spain, were included in a single-blind randomized trial and evaluated by a third party.