Auriculotherapy - Pain Management of Aspiration Abortion

Study Results

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

177 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-03-28

Study Completion Date

2019-12-12

Brief Summary

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Primary Objective: To assess whether usual care plus auricular acupressure with beads reduces subject-reported maximum pain during first trimester vacuum aspiration compared to usual care plus placebo.

Secondary Objective: To assess whether usual care plus auricular acupuncture with Pyonex™ needles reduces subject-reported maximum pain during first trimester vacuum aspiration as compared to usual care plus placebo. This assessment will replicate the previous trial and strengthen the evidence that auricular acupuncture is beneficial for aspiration abortion pain

Exploratory Objective: To assess whether usual care plus either auricular acupressure with beads or auricular acupuncture with Pyonex™ needles reduces subject-reported anxiety scores during first trimester vacuum aspiration as compared to women receiving usual care plus placebo.

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Detailed Description

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Most first trimester aspiration abortions are performed in the outpatient setting with a paracervical block and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as the only analgesics. Yet first trimester aspiration pain control is often inadequate with 26-32% of women reporting that they experienced severe pain. Moderate sedation and general anesthesia are not readily available, and investigations on opioids and anxiolytics have consistently found them ineffective for first trimester aspiration abortion pain. In 2018, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recommended research to improve pain relief. Limited data indicate that acupuncture is valuable in dysmenorrhea and for labor pain, conditions in which pain may be similar to that experienced during aspiration abortion.

This randomized trial will recruit women seeking first trimester aspiration abortion. This study will evaluate two types of auriculotherapy applied to selected acupoints on the external ear. The study treatments are acupressure using gold beads and acupuncture using Pyonex needles; both are applied to the ear using adhesive disks. A control group will receive the adhesive disks alone. All participants will receive usual care for their aspiration abortion procedure, including a paracervical block and ibuprofen for pain management. The investigators will query the participants regarding pain and anxiety immediately after their procedure, in person, on the day of their procedure.

Conditions

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Abortion in First Trimester

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

This 3-arm randomized trial will assign participants 1:1:1 to receive either of two active treatments (acupressure or acupuncture) or placebo (inert adhesive disks applied to ears).

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Outcome Assessors

A designated investigator (auriculotherapy provider) will apply the intervention prior to the aspiration abortion; thus the care provider (abortion provider) will not be aware of the treatment arm.

Participant will wear a surgical hat that covers their ears and the adhesive disks appear similar for the treatments and the placebo arm; thus the participants will be unaware of their treatment assignment.

The research assistant collecting the outcomes data will not know which treatment arm the participant belongs to.

Finally, treatment assignment will be coded in the study database until analysis is complete, so that the investigator will be unaware of the treatment assignment until analysis is complete and then un-blinding will occur.

Study Groups

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Auriculotherapy - Acupressure with Gold Beads

A designated trained auriculotherapy provider will place gold beads at five acupoints on each ear (10 points total). The beads are affixed with a small round adhesive disk. The beads will stay in place during the aspiration abortion and will be removed before the participant is discharged home.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Acupressure with Beads

Intervention Type DEVICE

Single-use gold-plated 1.2mm beads/balls attach to pre-specified acupoints on the participant's ears with adhesive disk/tape.

Auriculotherapy - Acupuncture with Pyonex Needles

A designated trained auriculotherapy provider will place 1.2mm (Pyonex) needles at five acupoints on each ear (10 points total). The needles are affixed with a small round adhesive disk. The needles will stay in place during the aspiration abortion and will be removed before the participant is discharged home.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Acupuncture with Needles

Intervention Type DEVICE

Single-use 1.2mm acupuncture press needles attach to pre-specified acupoints on the participant's ears with adhesive disk/tape.

Placebo Group

A designated trained auriculotherapy provider will place adhesive disks at five acupoints on each ear (10 points total). The disks resemble those used with the active treatments. The disks will stay in place during the aspiration abortion and will be removed before the participant is discharged home.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Placebo Adhesive Disks

Intervention Type DEVICE

Single-use adhesive disks without needles or beads.

Interventions

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Acupressure with Beads

Single-use gold-plated 1.2mm beads/balls attach to pre-specified acupoints on the participant's ears with adhesive disk/tape.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Acupuncture with Needles

Single-use 1.2mm acupuncture press needles attach to pre-specified acupoints on the participant's ears with adhesive disk/tape.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Placebo Adhesive Disks

Single-use adhesive disks without needles or beads.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

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Accu-patch Pellets Accu-patch Beads Pyonex Needles Seirin Pyonex Singles Placebo Disks

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Pregnant up to 13 weeks gestation
* Seeking aspiration abortion for any first trimester induced abortion, abnormal pregnancy, early pregnancy loss, retained products of conception, or molar pregnancy
* English- or Spanish-speaking
* Willingness to be randomized into one of the three arms.

Exclusion Criteria

* Allergy to adhesives or gold
* Allergy or intolerance to ibuprofen or 1% lidocaine (paracervical block)
* Congenital anomaly or infection of the ear.

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes