Trial of Acupuncture Pelvic and Low Back Pain in Pregnancy (Medical and Economical Assessment)

Pelvic girdle and low back pain are common in pregnancy, and cause severe impairment in 10% of women. Our hypothesis is that offering acupuncture in addition to standard care would reduce pain and impairment throughout pregnancy. 300 pregnant women from 5 maternity units will be randomized over a 3 year period to receive standard care or standard care plus acupuncture. Main outcome will be the number of days during pregnancy with maximum pain ≤ 4/10. Secondary outcomes will compare groups for an impairment score and for direct and indirect costs.