Pelvic-girdle pain is a common complaint among pregnant women. Investigators in Gothenburg, Sweden, compared the effectiveness of various treatments. They studied 386 pregnant women from 27 Swedish maternity care centers for a period of 8 weeks, including 6 weeks of treatment. Participants received standard treatment consisting of education plus a pelvic belt and exercises; standard treatment plus acupuncture; or standard treatment plus stability exercises. Members of the acupuncture group experienced the most reduction in pain, followed by members of the stability exercise group. Acupuncture successfully controlled the pain.

Researchers suggest that additional studies be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a combination of therapies, such as acupuncture plus stability exercises. The study was published online, March 18, in the British Medical Journal (2005; 10:1136/bmj.38397.507014.E0).