Background & Objectives : nausea and vomiting is one the most common problem during pregnancy. There are several reports about treating effect of acupressure for nausea and vomiting. Our propose was to investigate of p₆ acupressure in reducing and relieving of symptoms of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

  Methods : A single blind clinical trial has been conducted in order to examine the effect of P₆ acupressure on nausea and vomiting of pregnancy in women referring to health center of Ardebil at 2005. 75 women complained of nausea and vomiting after being matched on the basis of the intensity of nausea and vomiting and pregnancy period were invited to participate in the study. Subjects were divided into three groups of treatment, placebo, and control (25 persons in each group), accidentally. Women in treatment group use acupressure wristbands with pressure to P₆ acu-point, in placebo group use acupressure wristbands without pressure to P₆ and control with no intervention. The symptoms were evaluated for 6 days and twice daily using a questionnaire inspired by Rhodes Inventory of Nausea and Vomiting. In the first 3 days all there groups equally filled the questionnaire and in the second 3days the treatment and placebo groups filled there out. Data of frequency, duration, and severity of nausea and frequency of vomiting were analyzed by Analysis of variance and Wilcoxon means were compared with Tukey and Kruskal-wallis tests.

  Results: Analysis revealed that the participants in three groups didn't have significant differences in regard to age (treatment 24.3 ±3.9 , placebo 24.9 ±4.3 , control 25.4 ± 3.3 year), gestational age (treatment 12.4 ±2.8 , placebo 12.9 ± 3.1, control 12.4 ±2.8 week) number of parity (treatment 1.7, placebo 1.6, control 1.4 times) education, job, number of pregnancy. The mean score of nausea severity decreased from 25.1 ±18.6 to 12.0 ±11.0 in treatment group, from 22.8 ± 14.6 to 16.1 ±12.31 in placebo group but increased from 16.3 ± 7.48to 17.5 ±8.92 in control group. The mean of vomiting frequency also decreased from 3.1 ± 3.33 to 1.5 ±1.66 and from 3.1 ± 4.30 to 1.9 ±3.68 in treatment and placebo group, respectively but its value changed from 1.2 ± 2.2 to 1.4 ± 1.4 in control group. Differences between pre-treatment and treatment period of nausea and vomiting symptoms was not significant in treatment group than placebo groups (p<0.043) and it was more in the placebo compared to control group (p<0.009). Comparing of means in treatment and placebo groups showed significant difference in nausea frequency and severity but not significant differences in duration of nausea and frequency of vomiting.

  Conclusion: P₆ acupressure wristband is effective in the treatment compared to control and placebo for reduction of severity, duration and frequency of nausea and frequency of vomiting. The wristband without pressure to P₆ acu-point also is affected in reducing nausea and vomiting symptoms but its effect is lower than P₆ wristband.

  Background & Objectives: Delivery is one of the most important events in a woman's life, and pain is an inevitable part of childbirth. The non-controlled pain leads to prolonged labor and multiple injuries to mother and fetus. This research was done to determine the effect of acupressure at the SP6 and LI4 points on the duration and pain of the labor in nulliparous women.

  Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 84 nulliparous women who were attended hospital in Ardabil. The participants were divided into two intervention and control groups using randomized blocking. Pressure has been done on SP6- LI4 points in intervention group. Pain intensity was measured before and after the intervention using visual analog scales and length of active phase and second stage were recorded through vaginal exam in the checklist. Determination of the effect of pressure on the intensity of labor pain and delivery length performed using paired t-test, Student’s t-test and chi-square by SPSS v.16.

  Results: After the intervention the mean level of pain intensity in the intervention group was decreased. Also, there was a significant decrease in mean intensity of pain after each intervention in the intervention group with different dilations (4, 6, 8, and 10 cm) (p<0.001).The mean duration of active phase and second stage in intervention group was significantly less than the control group . (p<0.001, p=0.008).

  Conclusion: Since acupressure at the SP6- LI4 point in different dilatations leads to the reduction in labor pain intensity and delivery duration, therefore, this method can be used to reduce the pain and duration of labor.

  Background & objectives : Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a common gynecological problem in women. It is defined as a menstrual pain that occurs in absence of pelvic pathology. PD causes school absence and job restriction for many women and girls. Pain is the main complain of PD but other systemic symptoms like headache, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, irritability and dizziness are common. Many chemical drugs have been used to manage dysmenorrhea, but most of them have side effects. Acupoint stimulation therapies, like acupressure, might be an effective intervention for primary dysmenorrhea. SP6 and Liv3 are two important acupoints to improve primary dysmenorrhea. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of acupressure in two points SP6 and Liv3 on primary dysmenorrhea.

  Methods: This is a single-blind, randomized clinical trial study. Severity of pain and symptoms were assessed at baseline and also after two menstrual cycles of the investigation using validated questionnaires. 94 non-married women between 18-30 years old, who suffered from primary dysmenorrhea, completed the study (n=50 Liv3, n=44 SP6). The SP6 group received 20 min of acupressure during the initial intervention session and educated to perform the technique twice a day, from 3-5 days before to third days of their menstrual cycle, for two cycles. In contrast, the Liv3 group, performed this method but on Liv3 acupoint. Severity of dysmenorrhea was assessed with Andersch and Milsom verbal multidimensional scoring system. In order to analysis of data, Friedman test and GEE statistics test were used.

  Results: In comparison with baseline, severity of pain in both treated groups decreased (p=0.001). But statistical significance was not observed between two groups.

  Conclusion: It seems that acupressure on SP6 and Liv3, without any preference, is effective to decrease of severity of pain of dysmenorrhea.