Alternative pain relief techniques

Abstract A minority women (less than 10%) use alternative methods for pain relief in labour in the UK. There are very few randomized controlled trials to validate or refute the efficacy of complementary techniques. Support of the parturient during labour was rated higher than pain relief methods by a cohort of UK parturients. It is important that health-care workers have an understanding of these techniques in order to inform the parturient and facilitate choice of pain relief.