Table 2 Experience of labour, acupuncture treatment and emotional wellbeing assessed at two months after birth

n = 67

n = 78

n = 72

Labour pain

Mean difference (CI 95 %)^c

Mean difference (CI 95 %)^c

Mean difference (CI 95 %)^c

Recalled labour pain, mean (SE)

69.3 (3.0)

68.7 (2.8)

70.1 (2.8)

0.8 (−6.3–7.9)

1.3 (−5.5–8.1)

0.5 (−6.4–7.4)

Peak pain (measured during labour), mean (SE)

81.6 (1.6)

83.2 (1.6)

85.8 (1.6)

4.1 (0.3–8.1)

2.6 (−1.2–6.4)

−1.6 (−5.3–2.2)

Difference between peak and recalled pain (SE)

11.7 (3.0)

14.1 (2.8)

13.7 (2.8)

2.0 (−5.1–9.2)

−0.4 (−7.2–6.4)

−2.4 (−9.3–4.5)

OR (CI 95 %)^d

OR (CI 95 %)^d

OR (CI 95 %)^d

Pain worse than expected (%)

42.4

42.7

47.1

0.8 (0.4–1.6)

0.8 (0.4–1.6)

1.0 (0.5–2.0)

Sufficient pain relief (%)

75.4

84.4

75.0

1.2 (0.5–2.9)

2.1 (0.9–4.9)

1.7 (0.7–4.0)

Would choose the treatment in a forthcoming labour (%)

52.2

50.6

0.8 (0.4–1.5)

Effective for reducing pain (%)

34.3

50.7

1.8 (0.9–3.6)

Effective for relaxation (%)

47.7

51.4

1.1 (0.5–2.1)

Mean difference (CI 95 %)^c

Mean difference (CI 95 %)^c

Mean difference (CI 95 %)^c

No. positive emotions, mean (SE)

4.0 (0.4)

4.4 (0.4)

4.0 (0.4)

0.0 (−0.9–1.0)

−0.4 (−1.4–0.5)

−0.5 (−1.4–0.5)

No. negative emotions, mean (SE)

1.9 (0.2)

1.7 (0.2)

1.8 (0.2)

−0.1 (−0.7–0.5)

0.7 (−0.5–0.6)

0.2 (−0.4–0.7)

OR (CI 95 %)^d

OR (CI 95 %)^d

OR (CI 95 %)^d

Overall positive emotions (%)

87.9

84.6

81.9

1.6 (0.6–4.1)

1.3 (0.5–3.0)

0.8 (0.3–2.1)

Positive birth experience (%)

64.6

61.0

54.3

1.8 (0.9–3.7)

1.4 (0.7–2.6)

0.8 (0.4–1.5)

Depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥13) (%)

4.5

5.1

8.3

0.3 (0.1–1.7)

0.5 (0.1–2.1)

3.1 (0.6–16.2)