Study	Reason for exclusion
Aghdam 2012	This study was not randomised.
Alsharnoubi 2015	Outcome measures for this study did not match those of the review. No pain measures were recorded.
Asadi 2015	Reports methods.
Bo 2006	We were unable to establish study details to determine details of randomisation, blinding and data completeness.
Can 2015	Study is investigating the effect of ice massage at acupoints. Study design is not consistent with review.
Deen 1985	We were unable to establish study details to determine the exact study design.
Deepak 2013	Study uses a quasi‐experimental study design.
Haghighi 2016	Study assesses the effect of the intervention delivered postpartum.
Hajiamini 2012	Study is investigating the effect of ice massage at acupoints. Study design is not consistent with review.
Kaviani 2012	Study is investigating the effect of ice massage at acupoints. Study design is not consistent with review.
Kermani 2015	Study uses pethidine as control group.
Levett 2016a	Study uses multiple techniques for pain management. Confounding effect of combination of techniques being evaluated.
Li 2006	We were unable to confirm if the study was a randomised controlled trial following communication with the authors.
Li 1996	This trial evaluated the effect of 2 acupuncture points on the strength and timing of uterine contractions following acupuncture. It did not report on any primary outcomes relevant to this review by study group.
Liu 2012	Study is designed for length of labour, not for pain management in labour.
Liu 2015a	Control group uses epidural analgesia. Confounding effect of control intervention.
Liu 2015b	Uses sterile water injections at acupoints and then acupuncture. Confounding effect of SWI.
Masoudi 2014	Intervention is care by a doula plus acupuncture. Outcome measure is anxiety not pain. Counfounding effect of other models of care.
Mollart 2013	Study is for cervical ripening in preparation for labour, not pain management in labour.
Moradi 2014	Outcome measures are fetal well‐being and anxiety, not pain management. Not consistent with review.
Mucuk 2014	Study uses TENS machine. This is the subject of another review and is not covered by this one.
Nistler 2010	Study involved osteopathic treatment and is not consistent with acupuncture/acupressure review.
Park 2003	Only abstract published. Insufficient data reported to assess if eligibility criteria met.
Peng 2010	Non randomised study.
Samadi 2018	The trial assessed anxiety during labour.
Sebastian 2014	We were unable to establish the study design quasi‐randomised or a controlled clinical trial.
Shalev 1991	Twenty‐five women recruited during labour at a maternity hospital in Israel. Thirteen women randomised to receive electroacupuncture and 12 women received no analgesia at the start of the active phase of labour (cervical dilatation 4 cm, effacement 60%). The study reported on beta endorphin levels and did not report on any measures relevant to this review.
Shang 1995	In this trial of 161 women, the effect of acupuncture on Hegu point was examined in relation to the length of the second stage of labour and the amount of postpartum bleeding. The study was excluded as it did not examine the effect on pain relief.
Ternov 1998	We were unable to establish the study design quasi‐random or a controlled clinical trial.
Vixner 2017	Cohort study
Wang 1994	Not a randomised study.
Wu 2017	Use of sterile injection confounded effects of the intervention.
Zhang 2000	The evaluation of point injection therapy did not meet our eligibility criteria.
Zhu 2013	Study does not use a randomised design.

SWI: sterile water injections
 TENS: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation