Sterile water injections provide effective pain relief for women with labour back pain, according to University of Queensland-led research.
Dr Nigel Lee from the UQ School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work said the injections were previously seen as controversial but this study shows they are safe and effective.
“Some midwives have used this practice in order to provide pain relief for a number of years, however until now, there has always been limited research to suggest that it works, “Dr Lee said.
“In fact, many hospitals refused to support the procedure, viewing it as ‘midwifery voodoo’.
This research was a collaboration between UQ, Charles Darwin University, University of Skövde and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The study is published in The Lancet journal EClinicalMedicine (DOI.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100447).