Effectiveness of auriculotherapy and laser acupuncture in hyperemesis gravidarum: a randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of auriculotherapy and laser auriculotherapy on nausea, vomiting, and quality of life in pregnant women. Method: a randomized, parallel, factorial, double-blind study was conducted with 100 pregnant women, allocated into four groups (25 in each): intervention (G1-auriculotherapy and G2-laser auriculotherapy), control (G3), and placebo with cotton (G4), all followed for seven days for outcome analysis. The Pregnancy Unique Quantification of Emesis Score and the Degree of Auricular Palpation were used to analyze nausea and vomiting, and the Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy was used to assess quality of life. Results: compared to the placebo group, participants in G1 and G2 reduced (p<0.050) their Pregnancy Unique Quantification of Emesis scores by-1.14 (95% CI:-2.11;-0.17) and-1.3 (95% CI:-2.24;-0.41) and the Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy by-34.81 (95% CI:-62.98;-0.95) and-31.97 (95% CI:-62.98;-0.95), respectively. The use of antiemetics was higher in the control and placebo groups. Conclusion: both types of intervention demonstrated a significant reduction in nausea/vomiting and the use of allopathic medications, an improvement in quality of life, and potential acceptance of laser auriculotherapy by pregnant women. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials RBR-4wtq84v.